EARTHQUAKE IN JAPAN (2)

Yesterday was exactly a year since the east coast of Japan was hit by a devastating earthquake and tsunami.

Much of the coverage has been about rebuilding the small fishing communities that were destroyed by the waves. Generalising, much debris has been cleared away, but not much new has been put in its place. Officials are saying that it will take at least ten years.

I can understand people's desire to return to the place where they may well have lived for most, if not all, of their lives. However, the thought that kept coming back to me was the following; what is the point of rebuilding these communities, when it is quite possible that another tsunami will strike in exactly the same place in x years' time? Relocation is hard, but perhaps it would be a better idea in this particular case.

Walter Blotscher