Debris sightings have been common on Canadian and U.S. shores since the 2011 Japanese tsunami, but what may be the largest piece of debris yet has washed ashore in British Columbia.
A silo was first reported on New Year's Day on a beach in the remote part of the Haida Gwaii archipelago, formerly known as the Queen Charlotte Islands.
The silo was recently moved to the Fisheries and Oceans office in Masset, where photos of the silo were taken and shared with CTV News.
Japanese characters on the side of the silo say “Ube Mitsubishi Cement,” indicating it came from the Tokyo-based cement supplier.
According to the U.S.-based National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, hundreds of pieces of debris have been sighted in Pacific-area states and British Columbia since December 2011.
The items sighted include buoys, sports balls, a floating pier, and a motorcycle in a container.
An estimated 1.5 million tonnes of tsunami debris is expected to eventually reach Canada.
