The largest earthquake ever recorded in Japan generated tsunami waves that in places exceeded 15 metres and overtopped seawalls designed for smaller events. Around 19,750 people died, the overwhelming majority by drowning.
At the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant, the tsunami disabled backup generators, causing loss of cooling and meltdowns in three reactors — the most serious nuclear accident since Chernobyl. Around 150,000 people were evacuated from the surrounding area.
Japan's building codes performed well against the shaking itself; the disaster's lessons centred on tsunami defence assumptions, vertical evacuation, and nuclear plant siting and backup power protection.
Why this event still matters
Historical incidents shape the rules that protect people today — building codes, evacuation policy, warning systems and inspection regimes almost always trace back to a specific disaster. Studying Tōhoku Earthquake and Tsunami alongside current events is how preparedness improves.
See what is happening right now on the live world incident map, browse every tsunamis we track on the Tsunami tracker, or follow live incidents in Japan.