Minamisanriku Disaster-measures government building 20120907

was an employee of the town of

Minamisanriku is a town in Miyagi Prefecture, Japan. , it had an estimated population of 12,516, and a population density of 77 persons per km² in 4504 households. The total area of the town is . It is a resort town on a coastline of wooded islands and moun ...

's Crisis Management Department, tasked with broadcasting disaster advisories and warnings. During the

2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami The occurred at 14:46 JST (05:46 UTC) on 11 March. The magnitude 9.0–9.1 (M) undersea megathrust earthquake had an epicenter in the Pacific Ocean, east of the Oshika Peninsula of the Tōhoku region, and lasted approximately six mi ...

she remained at her post on the second floor of the three-storey Crisis Management Center continuing to broadcast warnings and alerts over the community loudspeaker system as the tsunami swept over the building silencing the loudspeakers, killing her and overwhelming the town. Of the approximately 40 people who fled to the roof of the building, only 11 survived, by clinging to the rooftop antenna. She was hailed in the Japanese news media as a heroine for sacrificing her life and was credited with saving many lives. Miki's body was discovered by authorities on 23 April 2011. The three-storey headquarters of the department remained standing but was completely gutted, with only a red-colored steel skeleton remaining. Photos show the roof of the building completely submerged at the height of the inundation, with some people clinging to the rooftop antenna. The remnants of the building have been preserved during the city's recovery.

References

1986 births 2011 deaths Victims of the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami Natural disaster deaths in Japan {{Japan-bio-stub