Fears Stir As Japan Recalls 2011 Tsunami That Killed 20,000 And Caused $235 Billion In Losses

Last Updated:July 30, 2025, 16:47 IST

Japan 2011 Tsunami: Japan issues tsunami warning, prompting evacuation advisories for nearly two million people.

Japan 2011 Earthquake: On March 11, 2011, Japan was struck by one of the most catastrophic natural disasters in its modern history.

Nearly 14 years after Japan was devastated by one of the deadliest natural disasters in its history, a tsunami warning has once again sent waves of fear across the island nation. As the aftershocks of an 8.8-magnitude earthquake off Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula ripple through the Pacific, Japanese authorities issued evacuation advisories for nearly two million people, primarily along the country’s vulnerable northern and eastern coastlines.

Read more: ‘The Worst May Be Over’: Tsunami Threat Fades In Hawaii, Alaska After Russia Quake

Towns in Hokkaido, Iwate and Chiba prefectures have seen residents rushing to higher ground while coastal beaches like Inage Beach have been closed off by police. Municipalities are on high alert, broadcasting sirens and urging residents to take no chances.

Japan’s 2011 Tsunami

On March 11, 2011, Japan was struck by one of the most catastrophic natural disasters in its modern history. A 9.0-magnitude undersea earthquake off the coast of Tōhoku triggered a colossal tsunami that sent 40-metre-high waves crashing into northeastern Japan. Entire towns were obliterated within minutes, with coastal communities like Rikuzentakata, Minamisanriku and Onagawa almost completely wiped out.

The tsunami moved at jet-like speeds, giving residents little time to escape. In total, nearly 20,000 people were killed, thousands went missing and more than 470,000 were displaced in the immediate aftermath.

Read more: ‘People Are Stuck’: Why Is Oprah Winfrey Facing Backlash Amid Hawaii Tsunami Evacuations?

The disaster also triggered a global nuclear crisis when massive waves breached the seawalls of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant, causing meltdowns in three reactors. Radiation leaks forced tens of thousands of people to evacuate, many of whom never returned. It remains the worst nuclear disaster since Chernobyl. The total financial cost of the 2011 earthquake and tsunami was estimated at $235 billion.

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News world Fears Stir As Japan Recalls 2011 Tsunami That Killed 20,000 And Caused $235 Billion In Losses

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