Very little was left standing in the Japanese city of Rikuzentakata after a huge tsunami tore through nearly a year ago. Even the centuries-old pine forest by the sea that had long been a symbol of the city was obliterated.
But amidst the destruction that killed about one in 12 of the city's residents, one lonely pine tree out of more than 60,000 has clung to life along the ravaged coast. It came to embody residents' hopes for renewal.
But now the 250-year-old pine tree is dying, a victim of the salt water left in the ground by the tsunami. There has been talk of preserving it where it stands, even if it were to die, as a memorial but that could cost up to 300 million yen ($3.7 million) and looks unlikely to happen given the need for much more pressing reconstruction work. (Reuters)
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