On March 11, 2011, a magnitude 9.0 earthquake (the Great East Japan Earthquake) occurred along the Pacific shore of Northeastern Japan. The earthquake was followed by a tsunami, which took the lives of over 15,000 people and resulted in the disappearance of over 2,500 persons.
Although it will take a long time for the nuclear power plants to be decommissioned, daily life, business, and tourism in the area is recovering. Evacuation orders nearby are being lifted and the JR Joban Line will be running.