People in Japan observed a moment of silence on Tuesday to remember thousands of loved ones who died when a tsunami smashed into the coast three years ago.

A 9.0 earthquake hit at 2:46pm on March 11th 2011, triggering the tsunami and leading to a nuclear meltdown at Fukushima Daiichi.

More than 15,000 people died and over 2,600 remain missing.

Memorials and prayer vigils were held around the country.

A survivor said it was a morning just like any other. She said it would take a while for things to return to the way they were before the disaster.

In Fukushima, decommissioning work is underway at the nuclear plant, while efforts to decontaminate the surrounding area are in full swing.

But the nuclear threat remains serious, and over 130,000 people are still unable to return home.

Recovery efforts in northeast Japan are moving ahead slowly, and many residents may never get back to their former lives.