Japan tsunami 2011 video: Horrifying footage charts total destruction of a town Newly-discovered video footage shows the terrifying speed and immense destructive force of the 2011 Japanese Tsunami as it engulfs a small town before sparking a devastating fire. The horrifying footage begins with views of the river and surrounding area on a seemingly peaceful day at the undisclosed location. A few seconds later small ripples can be seen appearing on the surface of the river, the first hint that something is wrong. Newly-emerged video shows the terrifying speed and force with which the 2011 Japanese Tsunami destroyed a town But the ripples gradually build into a large wave and as the water level rises higher and higher the river is transformed into a raging torrent. At this point the cameraman decides to climbs up onto the balcony of a nearby block of flats - a decision that probably saved his life. The torrent continues to grow ever more powerful tearing a bridge away downstream before the river bursts its banks and floods into the streets of the residential area. All quiet: The video begins with shots of the river on a seemingly calm and normal day Buildup: The river begins to swell ripping small boats from their moorings and forcing them up onto the bank As the river bursts its banks, water floods into a playground opposite a block of flats Within moments the area is completely flooded as huge amounts of debris, including entire buildings are washed downstream Before long the force of the river has become simply overwhelming as it carries entire buildings, large buildings and huge amounts of debris downstream. Eventually it begins to calm and the stunned locals are left to gasp in disbelief at the extent of the damage. But just as it seems the worst is over, a fire breaks quickly engulfing nearby buildings until it becomes a blazing inferno. The tsunami on March 11, 2011, which was sparked by a 9.0 magnitude undersea earthquake, killed more than 16,000 people and destoyed hundreds of thousands of buildings. Eventually the waters begin to calm leaving the stunned townsfolk to survey the extent of the damage But the ordeal is far from over as a fire breaks out in a building on the opposite side of the river Inferno: The fire spreads at incredible rate quickly engulfing a huge area of the town