Thursday marks 10 years since Japan's deadly earthquake, tsunami and nuclear meltdown. Photos show the devastation immediately after the disaster in Fukushima and nearby towns, and the cleanup over the following decade.

Photos taken in 2011 show miles of debris, survivors escaping via rowboats, vehicles crushed and piled high on top of one another and boats washed onto dry land and even onto roofs. In some photos taken this year, new buildings replace those that were destroyed, and there is little to no trace of what is referred to as the Great East Japan Earthquake.

The triple disaster was, as the Associated Press writes, unlike anything Japan had ever faced. The official death toll stands at nearly 20,000.

Weather in your inbox

Forecast Location

Sign Up

By signing up you agree to the Terms & Privacy Policy. Unsubscribe at any time.

More than 2,500 are still considered missing, and just last week, the remains of a woman who went missing during the disaster were identified after 10 years, Al Jazeera reported.

Half a million people were forced from their homes. And though the photos show success in cleanup efforts, the affected towns have seen major decline in population as tens of thousands never returned home, and young people continue flock to larger cities, the AP reported.

Recent photos show humanity's ability to repave and rebuild, but the devastation of a decade ago will never be forgotten. Click through the slideshow above for a reminder of nature's wrath.

The Weather Company’s primary journalistic mission is to report on breaking weather news, the environment and the importance of science to our lives. This story does not necessarily represent the position of our parent company, IBM.