Almost 11,000 People confirmed dead, missing after the megaquake and tsunami

It was a picturesque fishing town where tourists flocked to enjoy the coastal air and natural hot springs. But this horrifying picture shows all that remains of Minami Sanriku after it was destroyed by the tsunami that has wreaked devastation across Japan.

The official death toll from Friday’s 8.9 magnitude earthquake and ensuing tidal wave stood at 11,000 people – dead and missing, although it is feared the final total could rise sharply once a full picture of the catastrophe emerges.

It only took a few minutes for the 30ft wave to wash the town away with terrifying force. The locals desperately tried to escape to higher ground. But most did not stand a chance.

One of the few buildings left standing is the town’s Shizugawa Hospital – the large white building to the centre left of this picture. But the rest of what was once the town centre is flooded with filthy sea water.