Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Disaster

Ivan Li and Kyle Krogman

Nuclear reactor meltdown on March 11th 2011 near Fukushima, Japan

An earthquake and the following tsunami knocked out electrical power, which in turn knocked out the cooling systems.

Unit 1, 2, and 3 reactors exploded Backup generators failed, causing nuclear

meltdown Second worst nuclear disaster in history,

after Chernobyl.

What happened

Units 5 and 6 were in shutdown A Tsunami study was ignored in 2007. Study

said if a tsunami hit catastrophic results could occur.

International Atomic Energy Agency told Japan that a earthquake with a magnitude of 7.0 or higher would pose a serious risk to their nuclear plants in 2008.

Backup generator of unit 1 was flooded before in 1991.

Before the Disaster

Used seawater to cool before backup generators were working again.

Released about 1/10th the radiation at Chernobyl

People 20km from the disaster were evacuated

An estimated 300 workers have experienced significant radiation (more than a lifetime dose).

Plant declared stable on December 16, 2011

Stabilization and Afterwards