Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Image on 16 March 2011 of the four damaged reactor buildings. From left to right: Unit 4, 3, 2, and 1. Hydrogen-air explosions occurred in Unit 1, 3, and 4, causing structural damage. A vent in Unit 2's wall, with water vapor/"steam" clearly visible, prevented a similar large explosion. Drone overflights on 20 March captured clearer images.
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| Date | 11 March 2011 |
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| Location | Ōkuma, Fukushima, Japan |
| Coordinates | 37°25′17″N 141°1′57″E / 37.42139°N 141.03250°E |
| Outcome | INES Level 7 (major accident) |
| Non-fatal injuries | 37 with physical injuries, 2 workers taken to hospital with possible radiation burns |
The Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster (福島第一原子力発電所事故 Fukushima Dai-ichi (
pronunciation) genshiryoku hatsudensho jiko) was an energy accident at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant in Fukushima, initiated primarily by the tsunami following the Tōhoku earthquake on 11 March 2011. Immediately after the earthquake, the active reactors automatically shut down their sustained fission reactions. However, the tsunami disabled the emergency generators that would have provided power to control and operate the pumps necessary to cool the reactors. The insufficient cooling led to three nuclear meltdowns, hydrogen-air explosions, and the release of radioactive material in Units 1, 2, and 3 from 12 March to 15 March. Loss of cooling also caused the pool for storing spent fuel from Reactor 4 to overheat on 15 March due to the decay heat from the fuel rods.
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