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    The Envoy

    Up to 20 million tons of debris from Japan’s tsunami moving toward Hawaii

    Debris from Japan's tsunami approaching Hawaii. (KITV/ABC)

    Some 5 to 20 million tons of debris--furniture, fishing boats, refrigerators--sucked into the Pacific Ocean in the wake of Japan's March 11 earthquake and tsunami are moving rapidly across the Pacific. Researchers from the University of Hawaii tracking the wreckage estimate it could approach the U.S. West Coast in the next three years, the UK Daily Mail reports.

    "We have a rough estimate of 5 to 20 million tons of debris coming from Japan," University of Hawaii researcher Jan Hafner told Hawaii's ABC affiliate KITV.

    Crew members from the Russian training ship the STS Pallada "spotted the debris 2,000 miles from Japan," last month after passing the Midway islands, the Mail wrote. "They saw some pieces of furniture, some appliances, anything that can float, and they picked up a fishing boat," said Hafner. The boat was 20-feet long, and was painted with the word "Fukushima."  "That's actually our first confirmed report of tsunami debris," Hafner told KITV.

    Crew on Russian ship STS Pallada spotted the debris almost 2,000 miles from Japan, including a fishing boat from …

    Researchers say up to 20 mn tons of debris from Japan's March 11 tsunami could reach U.S. West Coast in three years. …

    The 9.0 magnitude earthquake and tsunami that hit northeastern Japan on March 11 has left some 20,000 people dead or missing.

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    • lalasayswhat  •  Warminster, United States  •  7 mths ago
      Maybe I can reel in a Toyota next summer at the shore.
      • STFUP 7 mths ago
        You'd be glowing green after driving it a few weeks! All that crap is irradiated.
      • Ken 7 mths ago
        with the right bait.
      • monkeyfurball 7 mths ago
        You might pick up a ca row lla if you use your oars.
    • Jenne  •  7 mths ago
      This raises "dumpster diving" to a whole new level.
      • Oh No 7 mths ago
        Funny stuff!
      • sam 7 mths ago
        gee mom thats some funny stuff right thur.
      • usmcvet 7 mths ago
        lame
    • Alwa  •  Bellevue, United States  •  7 mths ago
      20 million tons of junk arrives here from China every month and nobody says anything about that!
      • Patrick Star 7 mths ago
        lol
      • Jason Nguyen 7 mths ago
        No one is forcing americans to buy chinese goods, if you have a problem with it, go out and do something about it, quit #$%$
      • Micah Cook 7 mths ago
        You know what ? MY math is kind a shakee but i can do this one , it will take 7 months to get here.
    • Romney is a Clown  •  Phoenix, United States  •  7 mths ago
      What we can't even make our own garbage anymore we have to import it?
    • zerosevendeuce  •  7 mths ago
      Chase is fabricating the paperwork needed to foreclose on those houses as soon as they land ashore.
      • Shane Shane 7 mths ago
        thats funny #$%$ right there
      • Beebs 7 mths ago
        LMAO~!!!
      • Radioactive 7 mths ago
        Chase Bank has already beat you to it, the original owners in Japan have already been notified by chase that they have been forclosed on and oh ya we are also adding a new garbage removal tax as well.
    • Vegas Jack  •  Las Vegas, United States  •  7 mths ago
      Insurance agent to client: You say your yacht was broadsided by a House 2,000 mile from land?
    • Char  •  Manhattan, United States  •  7 mths ago
      If it's taken 7 months for it to reach the halfway mark, why will it take 3 years to go the other half?
    • Tony  •  Hilo, United States  •  7 mths ago
      Imports from Japan are on the rise.
    • Bucko  •  7 mths ago
      Where's Fred Sanford when you need him?
    • A Yahoo! user  •  New York, United States  •  7 mths ago
      People on the West coast are preparing for the largest ever MADE IN JAPAN yard sale or beach sale in this case.
    • William  •  7 mths ago
      If I find that house when it washes up to shore will I qualify for one of those underwater home loans ?
    • Michael  •  San Jose, United States  •  7 mths ago
      Looks somewhat similar to the junk that comes from China.....
    • Kilgore Trout  •  Wasilla, United States  •  7 mths ago
      Tie the crap together and form your own country.
    • Woa  •  7 mths ago
      Beware of any honda's or toyotas that claim to have "minor water damage"
    • michael  •  Washington, United States  •  6 mths ago
      That rooks rike a rot of trash!
    • STRAIGHT-SHOOTER  •  Baltimore, United States  •  7 mths ago
      How many million tons of garbage reaches our shores from China every year?
    • bee  •  Yakima, United States  •  6 mths ago
      When the debris hits the US West Coast there might still be some "stuff" in good condition.
      I'm wondering if it would be alright for people to take the salvageable items or do these have to be returned to Japan? I live nowhere near the coast but I'm just curious.
    • Clayton Y  •  Toronto, Canada  •  7 mths ago
      Maybe there's still beer in the refrigerators?
    • Warrior  •  Newark, United States  •  6 mths ago
      We can sell it back to them to help the economy!
    • Warrior  •  Newark, United States  •  6 mths ago
      I can use a new fridge!
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