Minamisanriku, Japan (CNN) -- As some in Japan officially kicked off their first work week Monday since its epic earthquake and tsunami, others -- especially in the country's northeast -- grieved the loss of loved ones, kept fleeting hopes that missing could be found alive and tried to come to grips with a disaster that literally tore some communities apart. The nation's Kyodo News Agency, citing Prime Minister Naoto Kan, reported more than 15,000 people have been rescued in the days since Friday's 8.9-magnitude tremor. But, while 1,598 people were officially dead Monday according to the National Police Agency Emergency Disaster Headquarters, the fear was that the final death toll could be exponentially higher.
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The official death toll is 1,598, though fears are it will rise much higher
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Citing the prime minister, Kyodo says over 15,000 have been rescued
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In Minamisanriku, up to 9,500 people are unaccounted for
In @placeholder, search and rescue efforts were frequently disturbed by tsunami alerts prompted by ongoing aftershocks.