SCOTT SIMON, Host: NPR's Stu Seidel has been in Japan since just a few days following the earthquake and tsunami. He spent most of his time in Tokyo, but earlier this week, Stu visited the northern coast of Japan. And, Stu, please tell us where you went and what you saw.</s>STU SEIDEL: Everywhere, there was debris - most of the buildings in northern Japan are made of wood - and the debris was like a field of broken-up two-by-fours.</s>SCOTT SIMON, Host: Any people?</s>STU SEIDEL: I have no idea - I don't think anybody has any firm idea - of how many people died in Rikuzentakata. It's certainly in the confirmed hundreds. There are estimates that as many as 40 percent of the residents of the town are still missing.</s>SCOTT SIMON, Host: And, Stu, any who survived, where are they now?</s>STU SEIDEL: The other list was of the people are confirmed to have died. And there was woman standing there looking at that list. And she was just standing, staring at a single page.</s>SCOTT SIMON, Host: NPR's Stu Seidel in Tokyo, thanks so much.</s>STU SEIDEL: Certainly, Scott.
The tsunami that swept away coastal towns along northern Japan's coast killed at least 11,000 people. Another 16,000 people are still missing. NPR's Stu Seidel visited Rikuzentakata, one of those towns, earlier this week. He talks with host Scott Simon about the visit.