103 more bodies recovered in Japan

TOKYO, April 11 (UPI) -- Japanese and U.S. military search teams recovered 103 bodies in the earthquake-tsunami-hit northeast region of Japan during the weekend, officials said.

The search teams consisted of about 22,000 members of Japan's Self-Defense Forces, about 110 U.S. military personnel and the Japanese coast guard, Kyodo News reported.

The searchers worked through flooded and debris-strewn areas in Iwate, Miyagi and Fukushima prefectures, which were hit hardest in the March 11 catastrophe.

Earlier this month, 79 bodies were recovered in a similar effort, the report said.

More than 12,500 people were confirmed dead and at least 14,000 more remained missing a month after the disaster.

Kyodo reported about 151,000 survivors were living in about 2,300 shelters.

Finding them temporary housing has been difficult because of vast quantities of debris and rubble still to be cleared and inadequate infrastructure services, officials said.