Removal of Tsunami Dock in Washington Coast Begins

The debris of a 65-foot-long dock that was set adrift by the tsunami and earthquake that hit Japan in 2011 is now being dismantled and removed from the Washington state beach where it washed ashore, reports LiveScience.

The 185 tons of debris that was beached on an isolated Washington coast near Forks was found Dec. 18, 2012, by a U.S. Coast Guard helicopter search. Tracing the origin of the debris was a real challenge, but it was the fender production serial number that made it easy for the Japanese government to identify the dock.

Prior to this, the state and federal responders traced dozens of animals and plant debris that were native to Japan and not Washington. It was this fact that gave them a clue that even the debris of the dock could belong to Japan.

The National Oceanic Atmospheric Agency that is assisting the Japan government in listing the debris from the tsunami zone has retrieved nearly 21 items till date, reports Forks Forum. But the dock stands as the fourth confirmed item.

The other confirmed items include small, derelict boats, a 25-foot-long steel tank and a soccer ball found by kayakers in Washington State. A second floating dock set adrift by the tsunami washed ashore in Oregon, reports LiveScience.

NOAA spokesperson Keeley Belva said that they are making progress. The work to dismantle and move the debris was started March 19 and is expected to complete by the end of the month.

The Undersea Company of Port Townsend, Wash., is dismantling the dock and cutting it into pieces that can be carried off with a helicopter, reports AP.

Previously, the Washington State Department of Ecology had expressed their concern stating that if the dock is not removed from the Olympic National Park, there are chances that it will release over 200 cubic yards of Styrofoam into the federally protected waters.