The Fukushima Tsunami: 10 Years Ago Today

 

Ten years ago, on March 11, 2011, Japan was struck by a tsunami triggered by a 9.0 magnitude earthquake off the northern coast of Honshu that devastated the local region, and has been seared into the consciousness of the nation:

The magnitude-9.0 quake that struck on March 11, 2011 — one of the biggest on record — triggered a wall of water that swept far inland, destroying towns and causing meltdowns at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant.

The days following the quake were terrifying for many in Japan and farther afield, as hydrogen explosions released radiation into the air and technicians worked furiously to try to cool the plant’s nuclear fuel by pumping in seawater. There were concerns and confusion about the extent of meltdowns, and how far radiation might travel, including fears that Tokyo and even the U.S. west coast were at risk. Officials said they were not, but panicked shoppers as far away as China and Russia scrambled to stock up on goods they thought would protect them.

More than 18,000 people died, mostly in the tsunami, and nearly half a million people were displaced. The government recognizes another 3,700 — mostly from Fukushima prefecture — who died of causes linked to the disaster, such as stress.

Ten years on, more than 40,000 people are still unable to return home, and areas near the wrecked plant are still off-limits due to contamination from the initial radiation fallout. Many in Japan have said that the country’s intense focus on physically rebuilding has at times ignored other healing that needed to be done.

The drastic changes in so many lives -- loss of loved ones, loss of health, loss of homes, loss of livelihoods, loss of a sense of security and well- being -- continue to be felt to this day.

Here's raw footage of what happened when the tsunami struck one area, to the horror of those witnessing it: