US /

Washed Up in Washington: Japanese Home?

Kayakers find lumber, household supplies
By Matt Cantor,  Newser Staff
Posted Jun 20, 2012 10:01 AM CDT
Washed Up in Washington: Japanese Home?
The kayakers found timber and household implements on a Makah Indian reservation.   (AP Photo/Jessica Mintz)

Kayakers are scouring the coast of Washington state for more debris from Japan's tsunami—and their latest find, on a Makah Indian reservation 120 miles from Seattle, was rather haunting. A collection of nailed-together lumber produced by an Osaka factory, along with a bottle of kerosene with Japanese writing and a container of cough syrup, led three searchers to conclude they may have found the remains of a house, the AP reports.

"It was sobering, especially when you're smelling somebody else's cough syrup. Somebody lived here and it doesn't look like a house anymore. I was not prepared to find something like that," said one. An oceanographer says it's too soon to confirm that it was once indeed a home. "It's like an archaeological dig," he said. "It's a bunch of things that could be construed as a house." Experts are worried about the potential consequences Japanese debris could have on the Pacific Northwest's ecosystem following the arrival of a 66-foot dock and a 20-foot boat. (Read more Japan stories.)

We use cookies. By Clicking "OK" or any content on this site, you agree to allow cookies to be placed. Read more in our privacy policy.
Get the news faster.
Tap to install our app.
X
Install the Newser News app
in two easy steps:
1. Tap in your navigation bar.
2. Tap to Add to Home Screen.

X