The Great Wave

.

The Great Wave off Kanagawa: Katsushika Hokusai 1760-1849), from Thirty-Six Views of Mount Fuji, between 1826 and 1833 (Library of Congress)



The Russians of the merchant Pavel Lebedev-Lastochkin in Japan, with their ships tossed inland by a tsunami, meeting some Japanese at Akkeshi: artist unknown, 1779 (image by World Imaging, 2011)

Fire at Cosmo Oil Company refinery in Chiba Prefecture near Tokyo, causing widespread damage and destruction following 8.9 magnitude earthquake off northeastern coast of Japan: photo via International Business Times, 11 March 2011


Buildings burn after earthquake near Sendai Airport: photo by Reuters, 11 March 2011

Houses in Sendai aflame after being engulfed by tsunami: photo by Kyodo News, via Associated Press, 11 March 2011

The tsunami, seen crashing into homes in Natori, Miyagi Prefecture: photo by Kyodo News, via Associated Press, 11 March 2011