Tsunami-hit town uses colored flags to indicate which house debris to clean up

Hard hit by the recent tsunami in Tohoku, the city of Wataricho in Miyagi Prefecture has introduced a new procedure to aid in the cleanup operation. Colored flags are being used to indicate destroyed houses that are beyond repair and must be removed, and which ones should not be touched at the request of owners.

The procedure comes after the Japan Self Defense Forces (JSDF) asked officials about what should be left in place and what should be removed. Green flags are being used to indicate that the residents prefer to clear up rubble themselves and leave the house standing. A yellow flag indicates that residents want the JSDF to clear rubble but leave the house standing, and a red flag indicates that everything can be cleared away.

One man, who was holding a red flag, said his home had been swept 100 meters by the tsunami. “My house is hopeless, so there’s no point in just doing it halfway,” he said.

© Compiled from news reports