This coming March will be two years since a massive tsunami devastated northern Japan.

Scientists say as much as one and a half million tons of marine debris is still floating across the northern Pacific. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration predicts more debris from the tsunami could reach Hawaii shores as early as this winter.

Carey Morishige is the Pacific Islands Regional Coordinator for the NOAA Marine Debris Program. She explains that while it’s hard to predict when the debris will reach Hawaii…computer models can predict where the debris is likely to be.

If you come across tsunami debris, please report it to the Department of Land and Natural Resources at 587-0400.

Full audio available here:

(Molly Solomon / HPR News)