The earthquake on March 11, which measured 9.0 in magnitude, was followed by a tsunami minutes later with waves of up to 23.6 metres.

The impact was such that the Japanese National Police Agency has officially confirmed over 11,000 deaths, 2,550 injuries and 17,000 missing people in addition to 125,000 damaged or destroyed buildings.

The effects of the earthquake were felt in Nagano, home of the 1998 Winter Olympics, where the US ice sledge hockey team were in action at the Olympic Memorial Arena.

Despite the entire team surviving the disaster, head coach Ray Maluta said it was a traumatic experience as he and his players looked up and saw speakers swinging violently from the arena's ceiling.

"I've never felt anything like that; it was pretty frightening," Maluta said.

"We were all stunned for a moment or two, trying to figure out what we should do.

"I got really nervous when I saw everything swaying above us.

"It's not good if that stuff comes down on us."

The Canadians and Americans safely evacuated the rink to the secure changing rooms but US forward and Paralympic gold medallist Josh Pauls admitted neither team will soon forget the experience which begun when he was on the ice and heading toward the penalty box.

"Everything felt wavy, like you were rolling in some way," Pauls said.

"Then I heard people start yelling and one of the Japanese pointed up towards the ceiling.

"When I saw everything up there shaking, I was just stunned and a little scared.

"I was thinking that the penalty box may shield me if something came down."

The US team decamped to their hotel in Nagano, not fully understanding the magnitude of the earthquake until they turned on televisions in their rooms.


"We couldn't believe that had just happened," Pauls continued.

"So many people dead, so much damage and here we were in Nagano."

Phone calls back to America were limited so the players relied on Facebook and emails to contact their families, but the situation turned more serious overnight when another earthquake, centred closer to Tokyo, struck during the early hours.

US forward Taylor Lipsett, like his team mates and coaches, was roused out of sleep by the room shaking in the dark.

"What got me up was the noise; everything was rattling in the room," Lipsett said.

"The desk was moving, things were banging against the walls, and you really felt like you were being shaken hard.

"That one was worse to me than the first one.

"I can't say I ever want to be in an earthquake again, once, actually twice, was plenty.

"We all realise how lucky we are."

Evacuations were planned for the US team but were difficult as the players have different levels of mobility.

The earthquake damaged the hotel's elevators meaning the only way down to the lobby was via the stairs.

Maluta and the other members of the US staff were prepared to carry players down if necessary and eventually the team gathered in the lobby to assess what had happened.

"We were really lucky to be in a modern hotel that was built for earthquakes," Pauls said.

"Nothing happened to us because the building just moved around with the force, so we were really fortunate to be in the right place."

The tournament was cancelled due to the disaster with the U.S. team finishing with a bronze medal.

The squad then made it to Tokyo and flew home safely on March 15.

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