Wed, May 11, 2011
Almost all the students and teachers at one elementary school were swept away by the devastating tsunami in Japan.
School bags are lined up, but there will be no children to claim them.
Families in Miyagi prefecture sift through the belongs of elementary school students who were killed in the March 11th tsunami.
Only 34 students and 3 teachers survived from the original 121.
The remaining students joined children at a nearby school for the first time on Tuesday.
Their old principal was there to welcome them.
(SOUNDBITE) (Japanese) OKAWA ELEMENTARY SCHOOL PRINCIPAL, 57-YEAR-OLD TERUYUKI KUSHIBA, SAYING
"I told the children today that although many of their friends have lost their lives or are missing, everyone here should work together and do their best."
The majority of the students and staff were inside the Okawa Elementary school when a giant wave crashed ontop of it.
There would have been no way for them to escape.
For now cleanup and recovery efforts continue -- as residents do what they can to build new memories on the long road ahead
(Reuters)
