Table 1. Characteristics of study regions.

	Yamada	Otsuchi	Kamaishi	Rikuzentakata
Population before earthquakea	18,506	15,222	39,399	23,221
Number of people who diedb	604	803	888	1,555
Number of houses destroyedc	3,167	3,717	3,648	3,341

^aPopulation before earthquake of all ages. Office of International Affairs, Department of Policy and Regional Affairs, Iwate Prefecture.

^bNumber of people of all ages whose deaths were directly and indirectly caused by the earthquake by the end of 2012. Comprehensive Disaster Prevention Room, General Affairs Department, Iwate Prefecture.

^cNumber of houses destroyed included completely and partially destroyed homes.