Powerful Pictures That Influenced Humanity

Massive earthquake and tsunami, in Natori, northern Japan, March 2011

NATORI, Japan — Maj. John Traxler (center), 320th Special Tactics Squadron commander, and a joint team of U.S. Air Force and Marine search and rescue specialists photograph the disastrous aftermath near the Sendai Airport here March 13. The images will help them plan future search and rescue missions. The joint team is part of the American disaster relief forces here to assist with Japan’s earthquake and tsunami recovery effort. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Samuel Morse)

Search and rescue teams arriving in Japan’s hardest hit areas are so far finding very few survivors, after last week’s devastating earthquake. The official number of deaths has climbed above 1,800, but officials fear the eventual number may exceed 10,000, as thousands of bodies are now being discovered on remote beaches.

In the days since the earthquake, Japan has experienced an additional 403 aftershocks — 32 of them with a magnitude greater than 6.0. Fire crews, rescue teams, and volunteers are now digging through the wreckage left by the tsunami, as evacuation efforts continue around the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station and engineers work to regain control of the failing reactors.

Asahi Shimbun, Toshiyuki Tsunenari /AP