It's sad to see such a prosperous country such as japan suffer many losses due to the earthquake and the tsunami that occurred. More than 15,000 had been confirmed dead while another 8,500 are unaccounted for, according to the country's National Police Agency. Here is a map of where the earthquake and tsunamis did damage to.



(1) The earthquake and subsequent tsunami damaged the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, knocking out power to its cooling systems. That affected the fuel rods in some of the plant's six reactors and in the pools where spent but still-radioactive fuel rods are stored, setting off a series of hydrogen explosions that caused further damage. A Japanese government panel said Oct. 30 that it will take at least 30 years to safely close the tsunami-hobbled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, even though the facility is leaking far less radiation than before and is considered relatively stable.

Initial local reaction: Japan's government initially sent 100,000 troops and other personnel to the affected areas, including 9,500 firefighters and 920 police officers. The Japanese Red Cross has deployed 95 medical teams, with a total of 735 people, including doctors and nurses. Unlike in the 1995 earthquake in Kobe, the government was also quick to accept foreign help, and several countries have sent aid teams. It is expected to cost upwards of $300 billion US to repair the damage.

Global impact: The shutdown of plants in Japan caused shortages of finished products like cars and electronics, but also a shortage of parts that was still being felt by manufacturing plants around the world nine months later.

(1)- http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/story/2011/03/11/f-japan-earthquake-topix.html