Japan Earthquake

When: Mar. 11
What: The tsunami triggered by the 9.0-magnitude earthquake left more than 22,000 dead or missing and thousands homeless in Japan. At the Fukushima nuclear plant, three reactors suffered partial meltdowns and fuel rods that caught fire at another reactor released radiation into the atmosphere. Japan faced a nuclear emergency. The Japanese government in March estimated the cost of the damage from the earthquake at $309 billion, about four times Hurricane Katrina's cost to the U.S. Disruptions in the supply chain led to price increases in consumer goods worldwide.