Japan has looked at the end of the world before. Stranded Japanese farmer, 75, found alone in Minami Soma, city rocked by tsunami, earthquake

Stranded Japanese farmer, 75, found alone in Minami Soma, city rocked by tsunami, earthquake

BY ALIYAH SHAHID
DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER Saturday, April 9th 2011,

Kunio Shiga must have felt like the last man on earth.

The feeble 75-year-old was discovered stranded alone in his small farmhouse on Friday, surrounded by fallen trees, dead pigs and garbage strewn by the deadly March 11 tsunami in Japan.

He doesn't know where his wife is, and his neighbors have all fled his city of Minami Soma because it's within the 12-mile zone of a radiation-leaking plant. Authorities had ordered evacuations but Shiga, who has trouble walking, and was unable to leave.

"You are the first people I have spoken to" since the earthquake and tsunami, Shiga told the Associated Press.

With the man's permission, local police were notified of his dire situation.

Shiga recounted his harrowing experience, how he had nearly run out of food, had no electricity or running water, and how no rescuers ever came for him.

The farmer said he had spent his days sitting in his dark home listening to a battery-powered radio.

'The tsunami came right up to my doorstep," he recounted. "I don't know what happened to my wife. She was here, but now she's gone."

More than 27,000 are dead or missing since the 9.0 magnitude quake and ensuing tsunami rocked Japan, authorities said.

Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/news/world/2011/04/09/2011-04-09_stranded_japanese_farmer_75_found_alone_in_minami_soma_city_rocked_by_tsunami_ea.html#ixzz1JAr0aanF