According to CNN, “Japan’s national police say 8,928 people are confirmed dead after a 9.0-magnitude earthquake and devastating tsunami March 11 pulverized entire towns, leaving broken wood beams and massive piles of rubble where organized neighborhoods once stood.”

Unimaginably, it appears that the death toll will rise dramatically: “By 9 a.m. Tuesday, officials said they still had not accounted for 12,664 people, and police say they fear at least half of those are dead.” The Guardian says that police estimate 18,000 are dead.