Two weeks after the devastating March 11 earthquake and tsunami hit Japan, more than 240,000 people were still sheltering in some 2,000 evacuation centers as of Friday while the official death toll topped 10,000.

Direct damage from the disaster, including destroyed houses and roads, is estimated to cost a total of between 16 trillion to 25 trillion yen, while radiation leaks at the stricken Fukushima Daiichi power plant have caused widespread anxiety.

According to the National Police Agency, more than 27,500 people were either confirmed dead or remain unaccounted for as of 6 p.m. Friday -- 10,066 deaths and 17,452 missing.

The full extent of loss of life remains unclear, partly because search efforts in Fukushima Prefecture have been hampered by the nuclear emergency, while local police in Miyagi Prefecture have suggested it is likely that more bodies will be recovered from the sea.