Rebuilding northeast to take years and cost billions

IT took just minutes for the earthquake and tsunami to devastate Japan’s northeast. Rebuilding will take years — if it can be afforded.

The relentless wall of water that the quake unleashed killed thousands, swept away towns, inundated roads and knocked ports, oil refineries, steel plants and factories out of action.

Experts say the cost of the destruction likely exceeds that of the catastrophic 1995 Kobe earthquake — estimated & to have totalled €115 billion.