Satellite-based detection of evacuation-induced land cover changes following the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster

The Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami on 11 March 2011 led to the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster. The Japanese government subsequently outlined an evacuation zone around the power plant, and all residents were evacuated. In the absence of cropland or urban vegetation management, land cover was expected to change. The changes in vegetation cover following the nuclear disaster are presented using long-term time series data obtained from Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) sensors. Utilizing MODIS 250m spatial resolution observations, clear signals of vegetation changes were detected following the disaster in 2011. The areas affected were non-forest regions (mostly paddy fields) within the 20km radius evacuation zone around the power plant. Multi-year comparisons of vegetation seasonality indicated that the changes can be explained by the natural succession of abandoned cropland. The affected area within the 20km radius is equivalent to about 20% of the total area affected by the tsunami.