It's been well over a year since the earthquake and ensuing Fukushima nuclear disaster took place. The crisis is not over, and people living near the reactors have been cleared out. They are yet to return. In their place, the plants are taking over.
Japanese website GetNews is running photos that depict reality in the 20 kilometers (12.4 miles) sphere surrounding Fukushima Daiichi.
The photos show roads being broken apart by vegetation sprouting up through the asphalt. They show vines making their way across roads.
A weed called Common Mullein, which is described as a plant that grows "in a place that has burned or otherwise been disturbed", can be seen sprouting in these Fukushima photos.
Found throughout the world, Common Mullein can grow to be ten feet high and produce seeds that can survive up to a hundred years. GetNews points out that the plant's tall growth is unconnected to radioactivity.
The photos show a desolate world that humans no longer occupy and one that plants are starting to overrun.
【原発20キロ圏内のリアル】警戒区域で見かけた謎の植物 [GetNews]
(Top photo: GetNews)