Authorities said Thursday that the March 11 earthquake caused a 23.6-metre-high tsunami in parts of north-east Japan as an aftershock hit the country and the death toll edged closer to 10,000, media reports said.
The giant wave hit the town of Ofunato in Iwate prefecture following the magnitude-9 earthquake, the Kyodo News agency reported, citing the Port and Airport Research Institute.
Police said that the confirmed death toll in the earthquake and tsunami disasters stood at 9,700 at noon (0300 GMT), DPA reported.
Another 16,501 people were reported missing.
A magnitude-4.9 aftershock hit the Kanto region surrounding Tokyo at 8:56 am (2356 GMT Wednesday), but no tsunami warning was issued.
Construction work on temporary housing began in Kamaishi city in Iwate prefecture. Building work was due to begin on similar housing in Ofunato and Miyako, also in Iwate, on Friday.
The Tohoku Expressway, a major road linking Tokyo and the quake- and tsunami-hit areas in the north-east of the country, reopened to all traffic Thursday. It was previously limited to emergency vehicles and those transporting relief goods and workers.
Tsunami was 23.6 metres high in north-east Japan, authorities say
Authorities said Thursday that the March 11 earthquake caused a 23.6-metre-high tsunami in parts of north-east Japan as an aftershock hit the country and the death toll edged closer to 10,000, media reports said.
