Japanese tsunami: 2,184 people still missing 18 months on A total of 15,870 people have been confirmed dead, but authorities say another 1,632 people have died due to disaster-related causes in the intervening months. The stress of living in emergency evacuation centres, followed by cramped temporary housing units, has taken a toll on the elderly, while others are succumbing to fatigue and illness made worse by their living conditions. A woman cries in front of a destroyed building in the devastated town of Rikuzentakata in Iwate prefecture eight days after the tsunami (AFP/Getty Images At present, more than 343,000 people are living in 136,000 temporary facilities in Iwate, Miyagi and Fukushima prefectures. Experts are also reporting an increase in children displaying signs of trauma and mental stress, with some expressing a fear of water and being more prone to sickness. In areas close to the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant, children also appear to be picking up on the concerns of their parents about exposure to radiation. The tsunami floods over the breakwater protecting the coastal city of Miyako (AP) More than 800 people are taking part in the ongoing search for the victims with Rinji Ono, the head of police in the town of Kesennuma, telling public broadcaster NHK, "We will strenuously continue the search in order to help return remains to families as soon as possible." At 2.46pm on Tuesday, the time the earthquake struck, small groups of people could be seen paying their respects at the sites of schools, homes and offices that were destroyed in the disaster.