JAPAN EARTHQUAKE

 Japan earthquake and tsunami of 2011

   

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Kenneth Pletcher See All Contributors

Ken Pletcher was Senior Editor, Geography and History for Encyclopædia Britannica. He holds an M.A. in Japanese studies from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. As part of his master's program,...

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Alternative Titles: Great Sendai earthquake, Great Tōhoku earthquake

Japan earthquake and tsunami of 2011, also called Great Sendai Earthquake or Great Tōhoku Earthquake, severe natural disaster that occurred in northeastern Japan on March 11, 2011. The event began with a powerful earthquake off the northeastern coast of Honshu, Japan’s main island, which caused widespread damage on land and initiated a series of large tsunami waves that devastated many coastal areas of the country, most notably in the Tōhoku region (northeastern Honshu). The tsunami also instigated a major nuclear accident at a power station along the coast.

earthquake damage, Honshu, Japan

Aerial view of damage to a portion of the northeastern coast of Honshu, Japan, following the offshore earthquake and resultant tsunami there on March 11, 2011.

Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Dylan McCord/U.S. Navy photo