Miki Endo, a 24-year-old municipal worker in Minamisanriku, Japan, made the ultimate sacrifice during the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami.

As the disaster approached on March 11, 2011, she remained at her post in the Crisis Management Department’s three-story building, continuing to broadcast urgent evacuation warnings through the community loudspeaker system.

Knowing the tsunami was imminent and would likely overwhelm the building, she stayed behind to ensure people were informed. Tragically, Endo was swept away by the waves, and her body was discovered on April 23, 2011.

Her courageous actions are credited with saving countless lives, as her warnings prompted many residents to evacuate to higher ground.

The remains of the Crisis Management Department building, with its exposed steel skeleton, now stand as a lasting tribute to her bravery and selflessness in the face of disaster.