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The Fukushima nuclear disaster's infamy lives on to this day, as its fallout was severe and terrifying. It occurred on March 11, 2011, at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant in Ōkuma, Fukushima, Japan. According to the International Nuclear Event Scale, this disaster and the Chernobyl disaster stand as two of the biggest nuclear accidents of all time.
The disaster led to one worker's gruesome death due to radiation exposure. Sixteen people were injured due to hydrogen explosions, and two of them were severely injured due to radiation burns. In 2012, the National Diet of Japan Fukushima Nuclear Accident Independent Investigation Commission revealed that the accident was bound to happen since the plant operator, Tokyo Electric Power Company, lacked basic safety requirements.
This tragedy is showcased in detail in Netflix's new Japanese show titled The Days.
Fukushima nuclear disaster: 3 key details about the tragedy
1) It was triggered by the Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami
On March 11, 2011, a deadly tsunami caused by the Tōhoku earthquake set the wheels in motion for the disaster. It was the deadliest tsunami to hit the country of Japan, with 9.0 on the Richter scale.
Even though the plant halted all its operations as soon as the tsunami occurred, it didn't take long for 13-14 meter high waves to smash into its protective walls. The water destroyed the lower levels of units 1 to 4 and even damaged the diesel-powered emergency generators. This meant the reactor core couldn't be cooled properly once things returned to normal.
2) The aftermath of the disaster
Following the disaster, large amounts of radioactive materials were expelled into the pacific ocean and the environment. The Japanese government was forced to do mass evacuation from Fukushima, or else the residents of the city would have risked severe radiation illnesses.
Miraculously, no major health disaster was reported after the event. Even children born after the incident turned out to be healthy and safe. The plant has set up an "ice wall" to prevent contaminated water from flowing into the ocean. It is speculated that at least 30 to 40 years is needed for total decontamination.
3) Workers and visitors in the power plant can now wear normal clothing
After the disaster, every worker or common citizen around the area had to wear protective clothing to prevent radiation sickness. Thankfully, radiation levels have drastically gone down.
Naoto Iizuka, chief technology officer for Fukushima Daiichi Decontamination and Decommissioning Engineering Company, said:
"The explosion of Units 1 and 3 and the tsunami scattered a large amount of debris over the power station premises, and at the time of the accident, protective clothing and full-face masks were required in areas throughout the site. The workers were constantly nervous, because they had never done this work before and were unfamiliar with it."
He added:
"Twelve years have passed since the accident, and there is a certain sense of traction now. We feel that we can look ahead, settle in our task and systematically proceed with decommissioning work,"
Not only are workers and visitors allowed to enter in normal clothes, but displaced city residents have also been permitted to return to their evacuated homes.
To learn more about the Fukushima nuclear disaster, watch The Days on Netflix.
