Timeline of events in Japan

Tomohiro Ohsumi/Bloomberg
Japan marks 1 year since quake, tsunami disaster
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The Big Picture Massive earthquake hits Japan
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Tsunami aftermath
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Special section The Japan earthquake and tsunami
More than 19,000 people in Japan lost their lives after a 8.9-magnitude earthquake, the largest ever recorded in that country, struck off the eastern coast on March 11, 2011and triggered a 23-foot tsunami followed by more than 50 aftershocks for hours.
Click through to see a photo timeline of the events.
A year later, flowers were offered during a ceremony to commemorate workers who were killed by the tsunami at the Nippon Paper Industries Co. Ishinomaki Mill in Ishinomaki City, Miyagi Prefecture.