New wire-attached anti-tsunami wall

March 21, 2013

Tsunami seawall to stop debris

http://www3.nhk.or.jp/daily/english/20130321_09.html

A seawall designed to prevent fishing boats and other large debris from being washed onshore by tsunami has been built in Kochi Prefecture, southwestern Japan.

The seawall was set up at Nomi port in Susaki city, where about 500 fishing boats are moored.

It's 115 meters long and about 2.2 meters high, and topped by 1.5-meter-high poles.

Officials say 2 sets of wires installed between the poles can hold back debris weighing up to about 5 tons.

Some fishing ports in Hokkaido were able to keep out debris thanks to wires, when quake-triggered tsunami struck Japan's northeastern coast 2 years ago.
But Susaki city says its wire-attached seawall is probably the first in Japan.