A huge dock unmoored during last year’s Japanese tsunami washed up on an Oregon beach this week and authorities are debating how to remove it.
“This is the first object that has washed up that was unique enough to confirm that it was, indeed, from the tsunami,” Chris Havel, spokesman for the Oregon parks and recreation department, said.
The Japanese consulate confirmed that the dock was from the tsunami. “It is from some area on the northeast coast of Japan,” Mr Havel said.
Oregon is working with other west-coast states, the federal government, non-profit organisations and others to co-ordinate cleaning up the debris.
Japan has estimated that as much as 1.5 million tonnes of debris could still be afloat.
The 20m (60ft) dock is made mostly of concrete and metal, with a small metal plaque with Japanese writing attached. It washed up on Agate beach, about 177km (110 miles) south-west of Portland. – (Reuters)