15 years ago today
The Tōhoku Earthquake and Tsunami Triggers Fukushima Nuclear Disaster
On March 11, 2011, a massive 9.0-magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of Sendai, Japan, triggering a devastating tsunami that overwhelmed coastal defenses and killed nearly 20,000 people. The wall of water crashed into the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant, disabling its cooling systems and triggering the worst nuclear accident since Chernobyl — one of only two events ever rated at Level 7 on the International Nuclear Event Scale. The triple disaster — earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear meltdown — prompted a global reassessment of nuclear energy safety and led Japan to temporarily shut down its entire fleet of nuclear reactors. The human and economic cost of the disaster exceeded $360 billion, making it one of the most expensive catastrophes in recorded history.
This day, across time
- 843 CEEventTriumph of Orthodoxy Restores Icons in Byzantine Empire
- 1544BornTorquato Tasso
- 1702EventEngland's First National Daily Newspaper Published
- 1851EventVerdi's Rigoletto Premieres in Venice
- 1861EventConfederate States Adopt Their Constitution
- 1916BornHarold Wilson
- 1921BornAstor Piazzolla
- 1931BornRupert Murdoch
- 1932BornNigel Lawson
- 1936BornAntonin Scalia
- 1941EventRoosevelt Signs Lend-Lease Act, Arming the Allies
- 1955DiedAlexander Fleming
- 1985EventMikhail Gorbachev Becomes General Secretary of the Soviet Union
- 1990EventLithuania Declares Independence from the Soviet Union
- 2004EventMadrid Train Bombings Kill 191 People
- 2011FeaturedThe Tōhoku Earthquake and Tsunami Triggers Fukushima Nuclear Disaster
- 2020EventWHO Declares COVID-19 a Global Pandemic
Alive in 2011
OverlapSame years; not influence
Steve Jobsdied this year
Wangari Maathaidied this year
Kofi Annanturned 73 this year
Margaret Thatcherturned 86 this year
Nelson Mandelaturned 93 this year
On This Day in History
9 EventsTriumph of Orthodoxy Restores Icons in Byzantine Empire
Empress Theodora II restores the veneration of icons in the Orthodox churches of the Byzantine Empire, ending the second period of Byzantine iconoclasm. The event is still celebrated as the 'Triumph of Orthodoxy' in Eastern Christianity.
England's First National Daily Newspaper Published
The Daily Courant, England's first national daily newspaper, is published for the first time in London, marking a landmark moment in the history of the press and public information.
Verdi's Rigoletto Premieres in Venice
The first performance of Rigoletto by Giuseppe Verdi takes place at La Fenice opera house in Venice. The opera, based on a Victor Hugo play, caused immediate controversy but became one of Verdi's most enduring masterworks.
Confederate States Adopt Their Constitution
The Constitution of the Confederate States of America is adopted, formalizing the breakaway Southern government that would wage war against the United States for the next four years.
Roosevelt Signs Lend-Lease Act, Arming the Allies
President Franklin D. Roosevelt signs the Lend-Lease Act into law, allowing the United States to supply war materials to Britain, the Soviet Union, and other Allied nations on credit. The act was a decisive turning point that helped sustain Allied resistance to Nazi Germany before American entry into the war.
Mikhail Gorbachev Becomes General Secretary of the Soviet Union
Mikhail Gorbachev is elected General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union at just 54 years old, becoming the USSR's de facto and ultimately final head of state. His reforms of glasnost and perestroika would unravel the Soviet system within six years.
Lithuania Declares Independence from the Soviet Union
Lithuania declares independence from the Soviet Union, becoming the first Soviet republic to do so. The declaration was a direct challenge to Moscow and a catalyst for the cascade of independence movements that would dissolve the USSR the following year.
Madrid Train Bombings Kill 191 People
Coordinated bomb attacks on four commuter trains in Madrid, Spain, kill 191 people and injure over 1,800 in the deadliest terrorist attack in Spanish history. The bombings occurred three days before a general election and transformed the political landscape of the country.
WHO Declares COVID-19 a Global Pandemic
The World Health Organization officially declares the COVID-19 outbreak a pandemic, marking the beginning of the most significant global health emergency in a century. The declaration prompted governments worldwide to begin implementing emergency measures.
Born on This Day
Rupert Murdoch
Australian-American media magnate
Rupert Murdoch built one of the world's largest media empires, encompassing newspapers, television networks, and film studios across multiple continents. Through outlets like Fox News, The Sun, and The Wall Street Journal, he profoundly shaped political discourse in the United States, Britain, and Australia.
Antonin Scalia
U.S. Supreme Court Justice
Antonin Scalia served as an Associate Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court from 1986 until his death in 2016, becoming one of the most influential legal theorists in modern American history. He was the intellectual champion of constitutional originalism and a towering, controversial figure on the court.
Astor Piazzolla
Argentine tango composer and bandoneon player
Astor Piazzolla revolutionized the Argentine tango by infusing it with jazz harmonies and classical composition techniques, creating a new style called Nuevo Tango. Though initially controversial in Argentina, his music ultimately achieved global acclaim and transformed tango into a worldwide art form.
Harold Wilson
Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
Harold Wilson served as British Prime Minister twice, from 1964–1970 and 1974–1976, presiding over significant social reforms including the abolition of the death penalty and major expansions of higher education. He was known for his sharp political wit and his controversial decision to keep Britain out of the Vietnam War.
Torquato Tasso
Italian Renaissance poet
Torquato Tasso was one of the greatest Italian poets of the Renaissance, best known for his epic poem Jerusalem Delivered, which depicted the First Crusade. He spent years institutionalized for mental illness, and his turbulent life became a symbol of the suffering genius in Romantic literature.
Nigel Lawson
British Politician & Chancellor
Lawson served as UK Chancellor of the Exchequer from 1983 to 1989 under Margaret Thatcher. March 11 is his birthday; he died on April 3, 2023.
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Alexander Fleming
Scottish bacteriologist, discoverer of penicillin
Alexander Fleming died on March 11, 1955, having changed the course of medicine with his 1928 discovery of penicillin. His accidental observation of mold killing bacteria in a petri dish launched the antibiotic era and has saved hundreds of millions of lives.
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