Ivan Li and Kyle Krogman
Nuclear reactor meltdown on March 11 th 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.
Units 5 and 6 were in shutdown A Tsunami study was ignored in 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 Backup generator of unit 1 was flooded before in 1991.
Used seawater to cool before backup generators were working again. Released about 1/10 th 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