2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami

Quick Facts: Who was 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami?

Subject:

2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami

Known for:

A massive 9.1 Mw megathrust earthquake off Japan's east coast on March 11, 2011.

Verified Source:

2Day Chrono-Wiki & Primary Historical Archives

Origins & Early Life

On 11 March 2011, at 14:46:24 local time (UTC+9), a Mw 9.0–9.1 undersea megathrust earthquake occurred in the Pacific Ocean, 72 km (45 mi) east of the Oshika Peninsula of the Tōhoku region of Japan. It lasted approximately six minutes and caused a tsunami. It is sometimes known in Japan as the "Great East Japan Earthquake" (東日本大震災, Higashi Nihon Daishinsai), among other names. It is often referred to by its numerical date, 3.11 (read San ten Ichi-ichi in Japanese). The earthquake was the most powerful ever recorded in Japan, and the fourth most powerful recorded in the world since modern seismography began in 1900.

Career & Major Achievements

It triggered powerful tsunami waves that may have reached heights of up to 40.5 m (133 ft) in Miyako in Tōhoku's Iwate Prefecture, and which, in the Sendai area, traveled at 700 km/h (435 mph) and up to 10 km (6 mi) inland. Residents of Sendai had only eight to ten minutes of warning, and more than a hundred evacuation sites were washed away. The snowfall which accompanied the tsunami and the freezing temperature hindered rescue works; for instance, in Ishinomaki, the city with the most deaths, the temperature was 0 °C (32 °F) as the tsunami hit. Official figures released in 2021 reported 19,759 deaths, 6,242 injured, 284 firefighters dead from attempts to close preventative fire gates, and 2,553 missing. A report in 2015 found that 228,863 people were still living away from their home either temporarily or permanently.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

The tsunami caused the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster, primarily the meltdowns of three of its reactors, the discharge of radioactive water in Fukushima and the associated evacuation zones affecting hundreds of thousands of residents. Many electrical generators ran out of fuel. The loss of electrical power halted cooling systems, causing heat to build. Without ventilation, hydrogen gas accumulated within the upper refueling hall and exploded, forcefully ejecting the refueling hall's blast panels. Residents within a 20 km (12 mi) radius of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant and a 10 km (6.2 mi) radius of the Fukushima Daini Nuclear Power Plant were evacuated.

Chronological Milestones & Life Events

1. 1900: 1900 Milestone — The earthquake was the most powerful ever recorded in Japan, and the fourth most powerful recorded in the world since modern seismography began in 1900.
2. 2011: 2011 Milestone — On 11 March 2011, at 14:46:24 local time (UTC+9), a Mw 9.
3. 2015: 2015 Milestone — A report in 2015 found that 228,863 people were still living away from their home either temporarily or permanently.
4. 2021: 2021 Milestone — Official figures released in 2021 reported 19,759 deaths, 6,242 injured, 284 firefighters dead from attempts to close preventative fire gates, and 2,553 missing.

Historical Fact-Check Quiz: 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami

True or False: “The initial magnitude estimate for the earthquake was immediately and accurately reported by all international seismological agencies.”

Answer (FALSE ❌): Initial reports varied significantly; the USGS initially estimated it at 7.9 Mw before upgrading it to 9.1 Mw.

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• Al Davis — Historical peer (Died in 2011) (2011): Pioneering NFL executive and coach, known for building the legendary Oakland Raiders.
• Alan Rubin — Historical peer (Died in 2011) (2011): American musician known for playing trumpet, flugelhorn, and piccolo trumpet.
• Aaron Copland — Historical peer (Born in 1900) (1900): Pioneering American composer, conductor, and critic, known as the "Dean of American Music".
• Adolf Dassler — Historical peer (Born in 1900) (1900): Pioneering German cobbler and inventor who founded the sportswear giant Adidas.
• Aaron Beck — Historical peer (Died in 2021) (2021): Father of Cognitive Therapy and CBT, revolutionizing psychiatric treatment.
• Abdelaziz Bouteflika — Historical peer (Died in 2021) (2021): Algerian politician who served as the seventh President of Algeria from 1999 to 2019.
• A. P. J. Abdul Kalam — Historical peer (Died in 2015) (2015): Visionary aerospace engineer, scientist, and former President of India.
• Abdullah of Saudi Arabia — Historical peer (Died in 2015) (2015): King of Saudi Arabia, known for his role in modernizing the kingdom's governance.

Frequently Asked Questions about 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami