Tsunami surging to Minamisanriku town of Utatsu area (Footage provided by viewer)
The Japanese text is followed by an English translation.
宮城県本吉郡南三陸町(旧歌津町)を襲った津波の様子を捉えた映像。地元で理容店を営んでいた及川勝也氏による撮影。
地震発生から約20分後、伊里前湾に面し、街をほぼ東西に横断する国道45号線(歌津バイパス)歌津大橋の上、橋梁(りょう)の東端付近から、撮影者はカメラを回し始めた。
午後3時15分すぎ、徐々に湾内に入り込んでくる潮流を捉える。
午後3時20分ごろ、橋の北側に添う堤防付近には、まだ不安そうに湾の方を見つめる人影も確認できる。
しかし、その数分後に状況は一変。波は、水位と勢いを増し、あっという間に堤防からあふれ出た。尋常ならざる状況に危機を察し、撮影者もあわててバイパス横の高所に駆け上がる。
激流が、みるみるうちに街へとなだれ込み、家々が次々と押し流されていく。
橋の周囲(西側)を注視していた撮影者らを、さらに信じられない事態が襲う。
橋の逆方向(東側)、まさに撮影者らの背後から、突然、激しい水流が現れたのだ。不意を突かれた撮影者のすぐ真横、わずか1メートルほど下を、波がどんどん通り過ぎていく。バイパスが東から西に流れる巨大な水路と化し、みるみるうちに、歌津大橋の上部(路面)を海水が覆い尽くしていく。
驚がくし、さらに高台へと避難した撮影者らは、街の北側・高台にある伊里前小学校付近にまで海面が達している様子を目撃する。「全滅だ...」と悲痛な声も響く。
3時半ごろ、今度は引き波へと変わり、逆流で湾方向へと運ばれる建造物が、橋などの障害物にぶつかり、すさまじい音を立てながら、粉々に破壊されていった。
波が去った3時45分ごろ、高台から降りた撮影者は、街の各所を回り歩き、その被害状況をカメラに収めていく。
Footage: Capture of the tsunami attacking Minamisanriku town of Motoyoshi district, Miyagi prefecture. (Formerly Utatsu town) Footage was recorded by Mr. Katsuya Oikawa who used to run a local barber shop.
About 20 minutes after the earthquake occurred, Mr. Oikawa began recording with his video camera from above Utatsu-oohashi bridge near its eastern edge on National Route 45 (Utatsu bypass) that runs east-west across town facing Isatomae bay.
At past 3:15 p.m. the camera captures the tides that gradually come into the bay.
At about 3:20 p.m. silhouettes of those anxiously gazing at the bay are witnessed near the embankment on the northern side of the bridge.
Minutes later, however, the situation changes completely. The waves increase water level and intensity, instantly overflowing from the embankment. Sensing danger in this abnormal situation, Mr. Oikawa rushes up to a higher place by the bypass in a flurry.
Rapid currents surge into the town, sweeping away houses one by one. An unbelievable situation arises while Mr. Oikawa and others are fixated on watching the areas around the bridge on the west side. From behind the group, on the eastern side of the bridge, torrents appeared unexpectedly. Next to the startled group, merely 1m below, waves pass by readily. The bypass transforms into a giant waterway flowing east to west, steadily covering the Utatsu-oohashi bridge with sea water.
Astonished, Mr. Oikawa and the group evacuate to higher ground, but find out that the sea surface has already claimed areas near Isatomae Elementary School on a hill in a northern area of town. "It's completely destroyed," a grievous voice echoes in the air. At about 3:30 p.m. the waves turn into a backwash, carrying buildings in the direction of the bay as they crash into obstacles such as the bridge. Creating tremendous noise, they are destroyed to pieces. By 3:45 p.m. the waves have gone and Mr. Oikawa comes down from the hill, walking around areas in town and recording the damage situation on camera.
