Urban Districts of Taro were completely destroyed by a mega tsunami in March, 2011.

 

The district had remained vacant, surrounded by coastal levees raised approx. 70cm higher. But Taro Baseball Ground was finally completed in April 2016.

When we visited, a junior high school baseball tournament was being held. Echoing cheers in the town sounded like a cheering song for the town and people who are recovering from the disaster.

As a group relocation project for disaster mitigation, the Sanno housing development is moving to a higher ground area that was leveled by clearing a mountain forest at 40-50m elevation, northeast of its original location. This higher ground has 159 housing plots and 71 disaster public housing units, and is now witnessing a construction boom. People have already started living there. As of June 1, 2016, 299 individuals or 123 households already resided there. Public facilities such as a fire station, a police box and a day care have been completed in this development.

Right now, for shopping, residents need to rely on mobile vendors or have to go down to retail stores or convenience stores alongside Route 45, but evacuated stores that are in business temporarily in roadside stations or in Greenpia Taro alongside the highway are planning to move into the development. According to the Regional Development Division of Taro, now there are three buses a day, but the number is going to be increased with population growth.