The first piece of debris from the 2011 tsunami in Japan washed up on the shores of California earlier this month, marking the first remnant from the disaster to reach the state.
But it wasn't until now that experts could officially confirm the vessel's origin as being Rikuzentakata, Japan.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, NOAA, and the Japanese Consulate in San Francisco announced the confirmation Thursday after the boat was sighted in Crescent City on Apr. 7.
Beach visitors reported the 20-foot-boat to local authorities who then contacted the NOAA, marking the 27th confirmed debris specimen discovered on the U.S. Coast, in British Columbia and at sea---according to agency spokeswoman Keeley Belva.
There have been about 1,700 reports of possible debris filed so far and Belva says that it is still unknown how much more will manifest.
"We think that it will probably trickle though as things go on," she said.
"It's hard to say when anything will show up exactly-it depends on what it is, if something has broken down, weather patterns and currents. It really is challenging [to predict]."
The NOAA estimates that about 5 million tons of debris was whisked into the Pacific Ocean as a result of the tsunami, stemming from a magnitude 9 earthquake, that left thousands dead.
And while 70 percent of the estimated debris is believed to have sunk quickly, the agency approximates that there are still around 1.5 million tons suspended throughout the ocean.
Other pieces of debris have washed up in locations like Central Oregon where a 65-foot dock was discovered last year.
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