In 2011, the island was hit by the Tōhoku tsunami, which destroyed the harbor and caused the ground to subside, leaving the villages more exposed to both flooding during high tides and strong coastal winds. The local cat population fled inland to escape the tsunami, and only a portion returned to the villages in the aftermath. The tsunami also caused an outbreak of parva in the region, and at least 80 cats on Tashirojima were captured and vaccinated in a matter of days to forestall the disease. Due to the loss of the harbor, which was used primarily by a ferry service and Tashirojima's small fishing industry, a number of fishermen and their families moved away.