Japan quake and tsunami devastation

On March 11, 2011, a 9.0 magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of Japan. The quake was the most powerful known to have ever hit Japan. It triggered a tsunami wave which reached heights of 40 metres. The quake and tsunami caused numerous nuclear accidents and the evacuation of hundreds of thousands of residents. Nearly 16,000 people died in Japan’s triple disaster, and re-building efforts are still on-going.