Fukushima Daiichi (2011)
9.0 Mw Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami disabled cooling systems at four BWR units. Units 1–3 experienced fuel meltdowns; Unit 4 spent fuel pool at risk. ~154,000 evacuated. No direct radiation deaths; significant economic and psychological impact. Cleanup expected to take decades.
Key Stats
100/100
Fukushima Daiichi (2011)
Location: Ōkuma, Fukushima Prefecture, Japan Reactor: Units 1–4 (GE BWR Mk I, 460–784 MWe each) INES Rating: INES Level 7
Summary
9.0 Mw Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami disabled cooling systems at four BWR units. Units 1–3 experienced fuel meltdowns; Unit 4 spent fuel pool at risk. ~154,000 evacuated. No direct radiation deaths; significant economic and psychological impact. Cleanup expected to take decades.
Industry Impact
Triggered nuclear phase-outs in Germany, Belgium, Switzerland. Major regulatory reviews globally. Enhanced tsunami protection standards. Led to passive safety requirements for new designs.
Incident reference · Second Atomic Age Nuclear Wiki Source: IAEA, NRC, WNA public records Last updated: 2026-05-10
Sources
- IAEA - The Fukushima Daiichi Accident Report [UNVERIFIED] — Official IAEA report detailing the accident, causes, and lessons learned.
- NRC - Fukushima Lessons Learned — U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s review and regulatory actions following the Fukushima incident.
- Wikipedia - Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Disaster — Comprehensive overview of the incident, timeline, and impacts.
- World Nuclear Association - Fukushima Daiichi Accident — Detailed summary of the accident, technical aspects, and global industry response.
- Japanese Government - Report to the IAEA — Official report by the Japanese government to the IAEA on the accident and initial response.
Sources (1)
Related Notes
Three Mile Island (1979)
Partial core meltdown caused by cooling system malfunction and operator error. Approximately 700,000 gallons of radioactive water released into the Susquehanna River. No direct deaths attributed. Unit 2 permanently shutdown; cleanup completed by 1993. TMI-1 continued operation until 2019.
incidentsChernobyl (1986)
Steam explosion and fire during a poorly conducted safety test destroyed Reactor 4. Positive void coefficient of RBMK design allowed runaway power surge. 31 direct deaths (2 from explosion, 29 from acute radiation syndrome). Estimated 350,000+ evacuated. Exclusion zone remains.