Quote:
Originally Posted by Asher
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This figure is being passed around, and is assumed to be some sort of confusion between the *88* confirmed dead at the time the article was posted, the 8000 self defense force people sent for aid, and the 18,000 houses estimated to have been destroyed. There are also some who suspect the figure came from the number of people trying to contact others through the NTT emergency contact service, or the number currently estimated to be somewhere other than their homes (ie. in shelters, at friends or relatives, or just plain stuck at work because the trains were stopped and it was too far to walk.)
There is NO confirmation of 88,000 people missing. There are estimates of 400~500 dead, but only 100 something confirmed at this point and about 200 more who have not been identified (tsunami casualties).