Ten years ago one of the most powerful earthquakes on record triggered a devastating tsunami in Japan, killing more than 18,000 people and triggering catastrophic meltdowns at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant. Then and now photographs show the extent of the destruction and the enormity of the reconstruction work

Ofunato in Iwate prefecture. Photographs by Toshifumi Kitamura and Kazuhiro Nogi/AFP /Getty Images

Otsuchi in Iwate prefecture. Photographs by Yasuyoshi Chiba and Kazuhiro Nogi/AFP/Getty Images

Ishinomaki in Miyagi prefecture. Photographs by Philippe Lopez and Kazuhiro Nogi/AFP/Getty Images

Ofunato in Iwate prefecture. Photographs by Toshifumi Kitamura and Kazuhiro Nogi/AFP/Getty Images

Minamisoma in Fukushima prefecture. Photographs by Toru Yamanaka and Kazuhiro Nogi/AFP/Getty Images

Kesennuma in Miyagi prefecture. Photographs by Philippe Lopez and Kazuhiro Nogi/AFP/Getty Images

Kesennuma in Miyagi prefecture. Photographs by Philippe Lopez and Kazuhiro Nogi/AFP/Getty Images

Ofunato in Iwate prefecture. Photographs by Toshifumi Kitamura and Kazuhiro Nogi/AFP/Getty Images

Otsuchi in Iwate prefecture. Photographs by Yasuyoshi Chiba and Kazuhiro Nogi/AFP/Getty Images

Miyako in Iwate prefecture. 2021 photograph by Kazuhiro Nogi/AFP/Getty Images

Tagajo in Miyagi prefecture. Photographs by Kazuhiro Nogi/AFP/Getty Images

Natori in Miyagi prefecture. Photographs by Mike Clarke and Kazuhiro Nogi/AFP/Getty Images

Ishinomaki in Miyagi prefecture. 2021 photograph by Kazuhiro Nogi/AFP/Getty Images

Tagajo in Miyagi prefecture. Photographs by Kim Ja-Hwan and Kazuhiro Nogi/AFP/Getty Images

Natori in Miyagi prefecture. Photographs by Mike Clarke and Kazuhiro Nogi/AFP/Getty Images

Tagajo in Miyagi prefecture. Photographs by Toru Yamanaka and Kazuhiro Nogi/AFP/Getty Images

Otsuchi in Iwate prefecture. Photographs by Kazuhiro Nogi/AFP/Getty Images