People across Japan are remembering the lives lost during one of the country's worst natural disasters. Monday marks 13 years since the Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami. The event killed thousands and triggered a major nuclear accident, which still has yet to be resolved.

The magnitude 9.0 quake struck at 2:46 p.m. on March 11, 2011, off the coast of the northeastern region of Tohoku. It generated tsunami more than 10 meters high, devastating Japan's Pacific coast.

Authorities say over 22,000 people went missing or were killed, including those who died as a result of circumstances caused by the disaster.

The destruction forced hundreds of thousands more from their homes. Even now, over 29,000 people still cannot return.

The tsunami also surged into the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, causing a triple meltdown.

Last year, the plant's operator, Tokyo Electric Power Company, or TEPCO, began discharging treated and diluted water from the facility into the sea. The water is diluted to reduce tritium levels to about one-seventh of the World Health Organization's guidance level for drinking water.

The International Atomic Energy Agency has found the release consistent with international safety standards.

TEPCO is now hoping to remove fuel debris from the reactors. It is described as the biggest challenge, and the operation was recently delayed for the third time.

TEPCO seeks to completely decommission the site by 2051. But multiple setbacks have thrown that timeline into question.