Why is the Japan earthquake and tsunami of 2011 sometimes called 3/11?

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earthquake damage, Honshu, Japan, 2011 — Japan earthquake and tsunami of 2011 Aerial view of damage to a portion of the northeastern coast of Honshu, Japan, following the offshore earthquake and resultant tsunami there on March 11, 2011.

The Japan earthquake and tsunami of 2011 is referred to as "3/11" because the catastrophic natural disaster occurred on March 11, 2011.12

This shorthand notation reflects the date of the event, which began with a powerful earthquake off the coast of Honshu and triggered a series of devastating tsunami waves, as well as a major nuclear accident at the Fukushima Dai-ichi power station. The event is also known by other names, including the Great Tōhoku Earthquake and the Great Sendai Earthquake.132