The Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Disaster was a catastrophic event that occurred in Japan on March 11, 2011. It was caused by a 9.0 magnitude earthquake and subsequent tsunami that caused a nuclear meltdown at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant. The meltdown resulted in the release of radioactive material into the
On 11 March 2011, a major nuclear accident started at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant in Ōkuma, Fukushima, Japan. The direct cause was the Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami, which resulted in electrical grid failure and damaged nearly all of the power plant's backup energy sources. The subsequent inability to sufficiently cool reactors after shutdown compromised containment and resulted in the release of radioactive contaminants into the surrounding environment. It is regarded by the United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation as the worst nuclear incident since the Chernobyl disaster.