Japan Marks 10 Years Since The Fukushima Disaster Killing 18,500 People

March 11 marked 10 years after the massive earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear disaster killing over 18,000 people in Fukushima, Japan. The triple disaster hit the country in 2011, destroyed the area, and triggered the worst nuclear disaster in the world since Chernobyl.

On that day, many people carried bouquets to the graves or coast to pay for their lost relatives and friends whose lives were taken away by the triple disaster. At 2:46 pm (local time), a moment of silence was held nationwide to pay tribute to all the people who lost their lives to the 9.0 magnitude earthquake.

The memorial event is held every year. However, this year, because pff the COVID-19 pandemic causing the capital and nearby areas to be in a state of emergency, the event was organized with a smaller group of audience.

In Tokyo, Yoshihide Suga, the country’s prime minister, and Naruhito, the emperor, visited a socially distanced ceremony to offer their condolences.

The 2011 earthquake was the most powerful earthquake ever hit Japan. It generated enormous tsunami waves spreading across miles of shoreline. The height of the waves was as high as 130 feet. These waves tore apart coastal villages and towns. Ships were carried inland while thousands of homes were destroyed. Tons of vehicles and debris were washed out to the sea.

The damage that the earthquake and tsunami caused to the reactors at TEPCO’s Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant led to the third disaster. As a result, a wide area was contaminated, forcing 1,60,00 residents to leave their homes.

$280bn was how much it cost to rebuild much of the coastal towns. Roads, housing, train lines, and miles of protective seawalls have been completed. However, most of the land remains empty. Until now, over 40,000 people haven’t been able to return to their houses.

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