More than a week after the most powerful earthquake in Japan's history struck, thousands had already died, displaced and remained missing during the coldest time of the year.
The UK's Save the Children charity estimated that as many as 100,000 children may have been displaced by the quake and tsunami.
The gigantic waves that destroyed the nuclear plant in Fukushima—as claimed by some sources—made the situation worse. The spread of radiation made many people in Japan and abroad worry about its health effects.
