Mapping the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Disaster

Following the Tohoku Earthquake and Tsunami was the destruction and subsequent meltdown of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant. The plant, located on the eastern coast of Honshu in the Fukushima prefecture, was devastated by the size and power of the tsunami. The power plant reactors were designed to handle 6 meter high tsunami levels while the Tohoku Tsunami was recorded at levels of up to 10 meters. Between March 15 and 21 the level of radiation emitted from the Fukushima Nuclear Plant was recorded and tracked. The map below charts the movement of radiation due to wind patterns. 

These wind patterns caused nuclear particles to settle in the regions around Fukushima. The radiation levels noted below are the accumulated levels over the course of the week following the explosions at the Fukushima Nuclear Plant.

 This map shows the correlation between wind patterns and radiation levels during this period.