When did the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami happen?

On 11 March 2011, a magnitude 9.0 earthquake struck off the northeast coast of Honshu, Japan. The resulting tsunami caused widespread destruction and led to the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster. More than 18,000 people died or were missing in the catastrophe, most from the tsunami rather than the shaking itself. The event led to major revisions in tsunami preparedness and coastal defenses in Japan and beyond.