Ookawa Elementary School

You will recall that 70% to 80% of the students at this school are believed to have died in the tsunami that followed the quake.

More details are coming forth about exactly what happened on that March 11th day, at just about the end of the school day,.... when all the children were getting ready to go home,... and those details are so sad and almost unbearable to think about.

The school is.... was.... a few kilometers from the ocean, but it was rather close to a large river. They were all getting ready to go home for the day, when the earthquake hit at 2:48 or so.... they did as they were always trained to do, everybody lined up and went outside. Students and teachers alike. Only one teacher from that day, who was at work, survived.

There is a large HILL just behind the school, the Japanese call a hill like that a YAMA, or a mountain, but it is not really a mountain, more like a steep, steep hill with bushes and trees growing on it. Some teachers thought the children should climb the hill but some thought it would be too hard for the little ones. So, instead of climbing the hill and living - because the tsunami did not make to the top of the hill - they decided to head for a high point RIGHT NEXT to the RIVER, of all places.

One of supports that holds up the bridge near the school is very high and I suppose the teachers though that all the students could safely wait there.

The tsunami hit them -- a 25 foot tall wall of water -- as they were running the long distance to that high place. The only teacher to survive that day is the one teacher who took his students up the hill and also, those who were absent that day....

You can see the map here where the school is and in satellite view, you can see the ruined school.