In pictures: Sifting through tsunami debris in B.C.
Japanese officials gave $1-million to help clean up B.C.'s 26,000 kilometres of coastline. A powerful earthquake off the east coast of Japan in March, 2011, triggered the massive tsunami that killed 16,000 people and washed untold tonnes of debris into the ocean. Experts predict debris levels will peak on B.C. shores in March, 2014, and continue to wash up for several years.
A group of Japanese delegates disembark from a Zodiac Boat on Wouwer Island near Ucluelet, B.C., Sept. 26, 2013 to investigate the tsunami debris issue on BC’s west coast.John Lehmann/The Globe and Mail
Japanese delegates make their way along the beach on Wouwer Island near Ucluelet, B.C., to investigate the tsunami debris issue on BC's west coast.John Lehmann/The Globe and Mail
A group of Japanese delegates clean up possible Tsunami debris the beach on Wouwer Island near Ucluelet, B.C.John Lehmann/The Globe and Mail
A group of Japanese delegates sort through water bottles, some of which are Japanese, on a beach on Wouwer Island near Ucluelet, B.C.John Lehmann/The Globe and Mail
Atsunori Nagayama, Director of Kids Now, helps Karla Robison, Manager of Environmental & Emergency Services for the District of Ucluelet, stuff styrofoam from a buoy into a garbage bag on beach of Wouwer Island near Ucluelet, B.C.John Lehmann/The Globe and Mail
Karla Robison, Manager of Environmental & Emergency Services for the District of Ucluelet, hauls a bag of garbage off the beach on Wouwer Island near Ucluelet, B.C.John Lehmann/The Globe and Mail
A group of Japanese delegates sort through water bottles some of which are Japanese on beach on Wouwer Island near Ucluelet, B.C.John Lehmann/The Globe and Mail
A group of Japanese delegates sort through garbage some of which is possibly tsunami debris on a beach on Wouwer Island near Ucluelet, B.C.John Lehmann/The Globe and Mail
Project manager, Hanako Yokota with Japan Love Project holds up a Japanese made flip-flop found washed up on beach of Wouwer Island near Ucluelet, B.C.John Lehmann/The Globe and Mail
A group of Japanese delegates sort through garbage some of which is possibly tsunami debris on beach on Wouwer Island near Ucluelet, B.C.John Lehmann/The Globe and Mail
Dr. Shigeru Fujieda, Professor at Faculty of Fisheries of Kagoshima University, inspects a water bottle found washed up on the beach of Wouwer Island near Ucluelet, B.C.John Lehmann/The Globe and Mail
Stephen Holland uses a geiger counter to test for radiation on lumber used in Japanese construction and is considered Tsunami debris which has washed up on the beach of Wouwer Island near Ucluelet, B.C.John Lehmann/The Globe and Mail
Dr. Shigeru Fujieda, Professor at Faculty of Fisheries of Kagoshima University, cleans up garbage found washed up on the beach of Wouwer Island near Ucluelet, B.C.John Lehmann/The Globe and Mail
Eri Akai with two Japanese water bottles found washed up on beach of Wouwer Island near Ucluelet, B.C.John Lehmann/The Globe and Mail
Junichiro Noguchi a Technical Official with the Office of Marine Environment in Japan inspects and documents lumber used in Japanese construction and is considered Tsunami debris which has washed up on the beach of Wouwer Island near Ucluelet, B.C.John Lehmann/The Globe and Mail
Project manager, Hanako Yokota with Japan Love Project carries a tire washed up on the beach of Wouwer Island near Ucluelet, B.C.John Lehmann/The Globe and Mail