After years of success, the seawalls failed when tsunami waves estimated at to high struck Tarō following the earthquake and tsunami on March 11, 2011. Survivors said they saw some residents climb onto the sea defenses to watch the approaching tsunami only to be swept away when the waves went over the wall. Many in the town said they felt the wall lulled them into a false sense of security. A section of the seaside wall was swept away by the tsunami. Large amounts of concrete debris was left around Tarō and scattered in its bay. 181 people were dead or missing in the tsunami, with nearly 1,700 houses damaged or destroyed.