Japan's tsunami-affected areas now available on Google Street View

By eGov Innovation Editors | Dec 19, 2011

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After driving more than 44,000 kilometers through the affected region, Google has finally unveiled the 360-degree panoramic imagery of Japan's tsunami-hit areas on Street View.

Google said in its blog post that the images can also be viewed via a special website called “Memories for the Future,” where people can compare before and after shots of the towns.

"In the case of the post-tsunami imagery of Japan, we hope this particular digital archiving project will be useful to researchers and scientists who study the effects of natural disasters," Kei Kawai, Senior Product Manager, Street View, in the blog post. "Seeing the street-level imagery of the affected areas puts the plight of these communities into perspective and ensures that the memories of the disaster remain relevant and tangible for future generations."

Google announced the initiative to digitally archive the areas of Northeastern Japan affected by the March 11 earthquake and tsunami last July. Other initiatives of Google to use technology in aid of relief and rehabilitation efforts include the Person Finder that helped locate displaced individuals, and  the “YouTube Business Support Channel,” which enables local businesses to promote their products and establishments to a nationwide audience.