Fukushima Nuclear Plant Workers Evacuated After Tsunami Warning Triggered by 8.7 Magnitude Earthquake

Fukushima, July 30, 2025 – Workers at Japan’s Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant were evacuated on Wednesday following tsunami warnings issued across the country, prompted by a massive 8.7 magnitude earthquake off Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula. The plant’s operator, Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings (Tepco), confirmed that all 4,000 workers were safely evacuated, with no abnormalities detected at the facility.

The earthquake, which struck at 11:25 local time (00:25 BST), sparked tsunami alerts across the Pacific, including Japan, Hawaii, and parts of the US West Coast, as well as China, the Philippines, Indonesia, New Zealand, Peru, Chile, and Mexico. In Fukushima prefecture, the warnings evoked memories of the catastrophic 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake, a 9.0 magnitude quake that triggered a devastating tsunami and nuclear meltdown at the Fukushima plant, killing over 18,000 people and displacing more than 150,000. The 2011 disaster saw tsunami waves flood the plant, disabling emergency generators and causing three reactors to melt down, releasing radioactive material into the atmosphere and Pacific Ocean. A 30-km exclusion zone was established, and significant areas remain restricted today, with abandoned homes and businesses still visible. **Ongoing Challenges at Fukushima** The Fukushima site still houses 880 metric tons of hazardous melted nuclear fuel and reactor debris, posing significant challenges to decommissioning efforts. Tepco estimates that removing this material, along with over one million tons of radioactive water stored in more than 1,000 tanks, will require tens of thousands of workers and 30–40 years, with costs projected at 21.5 trillion yen ($145 billion). Earlier this week, Tepco announced that full-scale debris removal, initially planned earlier, is now delayed until at least 2037, casting doubt on the government’s 2051 decommissioning target. Shunji Matsuoka, a professor at Waseda University, criticized the timeline, stating, “Maintaining an unrealistic goal of removing 880 tons of debris by 2051 is not practical for Fukushima’s recovery.” The plant also generates contaminated water daily, as cooling water is pumped to manage fuel rods. Since 2023, Japan has controversially released treated wastewater into the ocean, a move approved by the UN’s atomic regulators but met with significant criticism. **Tsunami Impact and Regional Concerns** Japan’s Meteorological Agency reported tsunami waves reaching Fukushima and other coastal areas, with potential waves up to 3 meters. Thousands were ordered to evacuate to higher ground. While Japan has downgraded its tsunami warnings to advisories, the alert has heightened local concerns, particularly given Fukushima’s history. Japan, located on the Pacific Ring of Fire, experiences around 1,500 earthquakes annually and is considered highly prepared, with earthquake-resistant buildings and drills starting in primary school. However, the threat of a “big one”—a magnitude 8 or 9 quake along the Nankai Trough—looms large, with experts estimating a 70–80% chance of such an event within 30 years, potentially causing up to 300,000 deaths and tsunamis reaching 30 meters. **Shift Toward Nuclear Energy** Post-2011, Japan initially moved away from nuclear power, but recent energy demands from sectors like AI and semiconductors have prompted a policy reversal. The government’s latest energy plan calls for “maximizing” nuclear energy, and Kansai Electric Power is exploring new reactor construction, a project paused after Fukushima. Wednesday’s tsunami alert is likely to intensify public opposition to these plans. As the Pacific region monitors ongoing tsunami risks, authorities urge residents to remain cautious, with potential tidal fluctuations expected to persist.