The north eastern areas of Honshu, devastated by the March 11 disasters, will suffer major flooding.

The Land Ministry says the 9.0 earthquake caused a huge portion of the coast off Miyagi Prefecture, to sink.  Many parts are now at or below sea level.

The ministry used lasers to check ground height on the Sendai Plain, of Miyagi Prefecture.  Before March 11, only 3 square kilometers (1.8 square miles) were below sea level, now 16 square kilometers (9.9 square miles) are below sea level.

Areas known as full tide areas, have increased from 32 square kilometers (19.8 square miles) to 56 square kilometers (34.7 square miles).  Areas that could be affected by record high tides (set by 1980 record high tide) increased from 83 square kilometers (51.5 square miles) to 111 square kilometers (68.9 square miles).

Because the typhoon season is here, the Japanese government is asking locals to start sandbagging, now.