Two months after the 9.0 magnitude T?hoku earthquake and tsunami triggered the largest nuclear accident in Japan, residents were allowed for the first time to enter the exclusion zone on Tuesday to collect their belongings.

Around 100 evacuees entered the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear zone dressed in protective suits and face masks. The move to evacuate the residents in the area came on March 11 amid concerns over long-term health risks due to constant exposure to high levels of radiation.

The government announced an exclusion zone of 20 km around the plant and thousands of people were moved from their homes into special evacuation centers. Although many tried to defy the order, the government imposed strict restrictions to prevent them returning back.

The Associated Press reported that the Tuesday official visits were viewed as a compromise that took both safety and the wishes of the residents into consideration. After the two-hour brief entry inside the region, all were to be screened for radiation contamination.

Get a look at the first official visit inside the Fukushima nuclear exclusion zone below:

Earthquake Japan Tsunami Japan