Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Disaster (2011)

The Fukushima Daiichi disaster in 2011 saw three reactor meltdowns after a 15-meter tsunami, forcing 154,000 evacuations and contaminating 800 square miles of land. Over 1.3 million tons of radioactive water are still stored on site, with Japan's controversial ocean discharge releasing 22 trillion becquerels of tritium annually. Outperforming #2 Deepwater Horizon in long-term management costs, Fukushima's cleanup is estimated at $200 billion. The disaster released 10-20% of the radioactive cesium-137 that Chernobyl did, but its ocean contamination is unique. Compared to the average nuclear incident, Fukushima's economic impact ranks highest globally, and 40% of evacuees still cannot return to their homes after 13 years.