Asia-Pacific

Majority of Japan tsunami dead older than 60

(Agencies)
Updated: 2011-04-21 13:46

TOKYO - New data from Japan's National Police Agency show that two-thirds of the victims identified so far in last month's tsunami were elderly - and most of them drowned.

The agency said in a release this week that 65 percent of the 11,108 confirmed fatalities of known age were 60 or older.

Another 1,899 victims were of unknown age.

With another 14,000 people still missing, the March 11 disaster is believed to have killed 27,000.

The police agency also reported that nearly 93 percent of the victims had drowned. Others perished in fires, were crushed to death or died from other causes.

The earthquake and tsunami hit the rural, northeastern coast where there were higher concentrations of elderly residents.