Thirteen years have passed since the Great East Japan Earthquake.
The people of Fukushima Prefecture not only suffered from the earthquake and tsunami but also faced significant impacts from the nuclear power plant accident.
What is the situation like now in the vicinity of the former nuclear power plant?
Are there any areas where it is safe to live, and what does the restricted zone look like?
Let me introduce.
Immediately after the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant accident, there was great confusion due to the earthquake and tsunami, and communication lines were disrupted.
The loss of power to cool the reactors at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant further exacerbated the confusion. Despite knowing that preventive measures against tsunamis were insufficient, the lack of action led to the reactors being critically damaged by the tsunami.
The explosion of hydrogen generated inside the nuclear power plant caused radioactive material to leak outside, leading to the evacuation of people in the surrounding areas. Because it was impossible to analyze or predict how the radioactive material was spreading, evacuation orders were issued in concentric circles (areas drawn in circles at fixed distances) around the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant.
Eventually, it was found that radiation did not spread in concentric circles but was greatly influenced by the direction of the wind and the terrain. Radiation spread northwestward from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, resulting in a larger evacuation area than the initial circle, and the shape of the evacuation area changed.
Subsequently, decontamination work continued for many years. By washing roofs and roads and relocating contaminated soil to other locations, the evacuation area gradually became smaller. Thirteen years have passed since the nuclear accident.
Are there still restricted areas where people cannot live?
This map shows the vicinity of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant.
Decontamination has progressed around the stations of the Joban Line, and small areas with colored markings have become habitable, where people who originally lived there or worked there now reside. Reconstruction is steadily progressing.
However, in other areas, there were originally vast forests where people could not live.
Therefore, decontamination work has not progressed, and it is said that areas where people can live will not expand in the future. In habitable areas, new industries are emerging, and events are being held, bringing back vitality.
On the other hand, for those who want to forget the Great East Japan Earthquake, there is significant psychological resistance to returning to live in Fukushima.
And thirteen years have passed. Many people cannot return to Fukushima because they have already settled into a new life in their evacuation destinations.
The melted nuclear fuel inside the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant has not been retrieved at all. It is said that it will take 30 to 40 years until complete decommissioning. I hope you will not forget that the Great East Japan Earthquake is still ongoing. Thank you for reading.
Thank you for reading. I will continue to introduce Fukushima.
