Everything That Went Wrong in the Fukushima Nuclear Disaster

March 11, 2011, 2:46 p.m. The surface of the Earth shifts as the Pacific Plate slides under the North American Plate at a subduction zone 81 miles or approximately 130 kilometers east of Sendai, Japan. This region of the planet is part of the Ring of Fire, a hotbed for geologic activity such as earthquakes and volcanoes. This particular earthquake will lead to a tsunami with waves as high as 130 feet or 40 meters and one of the worst nuclear disasters in history . The massive wave travels at speeds of up to 500 miles or 800 kilometers per hour towards Japan. Within 30 minutes, the initial wave slams into the coast. 1,242 miles or around 2,000 kilometers of the Japanese shoreline is obliterated in a matter of minutes. The magnitude of the earthquake is initially measured at 8.9 on the Richter scale but will later be revised to a 9.0. It’s the 5th largest earthquake to occur since scientists started recording the magnitude of the natural phenomena over a century ago. March 11, 2011, 3:27 p.m . The tsunami wave has penetrated miles across the Japanese islands. The Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant is flooded by seawater. Entire towns and villages are wiped out as the onslaught of water begins rushing back into the ocean. The proximity of the earthquake’s epicenter to the eastern coast of Japan means that there was very little time for residents to seek shelter or brace for the impact. The tsunami and the resulting flooding causes serious damage to the nuclear power plant owned by the Tokyo Electric Power Company. The 6 nuclear reactors at the facility have been generating energy since 1979. At the time the tsunami hit, 3 of the nuclear reactors were already shut down for routine inspection. However, the reactors that still remain operational are under immediate threat of melting down due to the devastation caused by the tsunami. The reactors are designed to shut down automatically in the event of an earthquake, while backup diesel generators continuously pump water into the system to keep the fuel rods cool. Unfortunately, these diesel generators are severely damaged by the power of the tsunami and the ensuing flood. The generators fail. Without fresh water being pumped into the reactors, they begin to heat up. It’s only a matter of time before Fukushima goes critical, only adding more chaos to the mayhem caused by the tsunami. The engineers at the facility know they need to get the generators back online fast. Otherwise, the power plant and the surrounding area could be doused with radiation. March 11, 8:15 p.m. The Japanese government is reeling. Search and rescue efforts are launched all along the eastern coast of the islands. Thousands of people are dead; thousands more are missing. The extent of the damage caused by the tsunami is not yet clear, and the death toll is only going to rise. But as the government scrambles to save its citizens, they are faced with a new problem. Officials have recently been informed of the problems arising at the Fukushima Daiichi power plant. They release a statement declaring a separate state of emergency in the Fukushima Prefecture. This will be the first warning to the general public that a second deadly crisis is now arising. 45 minutes after the announcement, an evacuation order is issued for anyone living within 2 miles or approximately 3 kilometers of the power plant. As the people around Fukushima try to recover from the devastation of the tsunami, authorities are now telling them that all of their pain and loss may be compounded by a nuclear meltdown. Many begin packing their most prized possessions and make plans to leave the area. However, thousands of people don’t have this option. They will need to be placed in emergency shelters or decide to ride out the nuclear storm in their own houses. March 12th, 2:06 a.m. Warning l