2011 Japanese tsunami debris? Barnacle-covered boat turns up ashore Washington state
theweathernetwork.com
Wednesday, April 30, 2014, 6:30 PM -
The massive tsunami that devastated northeastern Japan in 2011 washed about five million tonnes of debris out to sea.
About 70 per cent of it eventually sank off the Japanese coast, while the remaining 1.5 million tonnes was dispersed by waves and ocean currents.
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This barnacle-covered boat turned up along Ocean Shores, Washington earlier this week and authorities believe it may be from the 2011 tsunami.
If so, it would have traveled over 8,000 km across the Pacific Ocean from Japan.
The boat was turned over to the U.S. Coast Guard and Grays Harbor County authorities.
The State Department of Ecology was expected to inspect if for invasive species and officials were expected to ask the Japanese Consulate in Seattle for help in identifying the boat.
