Overview of nuclear disaster

The nuclear power station accident​

• The earthquake caused the loss of the external power supplies at TEPCO's Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station. The subsequent tsunami disabled emergency power supplies, which led to a loss of the cooling functions for Units 1 to 3 reactors. 
• Consequently, the nuclear fuel inside the reactors was damaged by overheating and explosions were caused by the hydrogen produced. As a result, a massive amount of radioactive substances was released.

【The tsunami rushing into the premises of Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station】	【The premises of Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station after the tsunami】
【The premises of Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station after the hydrogen explosion】

Effects of the release of radioactive substances

• Evacuation orders were issued by the central government in order to protect residents from exposure to the released and spreading of radioactive substances and more than 160,000 residents were forced to evacuate.
• Fukushima suffered damage  from the halt of shipping and production due to contaminated farm products, farm land, sea food and materials, and from harmful rumors including a decrease in market prices of  Fukushima's products and a huge drop in the number of tourists.