Onagawa, Miyagi

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Onagawa (女川町, Onagawa-chō) is a town in Miyagi Prefecture. Fishing is an important business in this town. The JR East Ishinomaki Line stops here at Onagawa Station. The town was badly damaged by the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami.

2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami

View of Onagawa one month after the tsunami, 10 April 2011

The tsunami reached a maximum of 15 metres in height and went as much as one kilometer in from the coast.^[1] According to some accounts the wave was even higher in places. It destroyed the town center. At least 1,300 people died.^[2]

Gallery of photos of tsunami damage and rescue efforts

• 
  Cars washed up on the roofs of buildings: 30 March 2011.
• 
  Rescue team from India searches for survivors in Onagawa.
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  View from Onagawa Public Hospital towards higher ground where Onagawa Station had been.
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  Evacuees were sent to the Onagawa Public Hospital. Remains of medical equipment there.
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  Tsunami damage around Onagawa Station.
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  Trains carried 200m from the line by the tsunami.

Transportation

Train stations

• Ishinomaki Line: Urashuku - Onagawa

Major roads

• Route 398

Energy

There are three nuclear reactors in Onagawa. They can produce up to 2,174 megawatts of electricity. The plants automatically shut down after the March 11 earthquake without any accidents. There is no plan to start the plants again during 2011.^[3]

Education

High schools

• Miyagi Onagawa High School is a prefectural high school.

Junior High Schools

• Onagawa Public Junior High School Number 1
• Onagawa Public Junior High School Number 2

Elementary Schools

• Onagawa Public Elementary School Number 1
• Onagawa Public Elementary School Number 2

After severe tsunami damage to the town hall, the Emergency Response Office moved to this school.^[4]

• Onagawa Public Elementary School Number 4

References

1. NOAA Data
2. Iain Macintosh (19 May 2011). "In aftermath of the tsunami, Onagawa's local team provides aid". SI.com. Sports Illustrated. Archived from the original on 17 January 2012. Retrieved 11 July 2011.
3. Risa Maeda (17 June 2011). "UPDATE 1-Tohoku sees no restart of Onagawa nuclear plant in 2011". Latest News. Reuters. Archived from the original on 18 January 2012. Retrieved 11 July 2011.
4. Onagawa Town (3 June 2011). "Third notice of support and condolence funds for victims (被災者生活支援金、義援金、弔慰金等の支給に関するお知らせ（第3号）)" (PDF). Onagawa Town Website. Archived from the original (PDF) on 22 July 2011. Retrieved 11 July 2011.