Case Study Japan Earthquake Flashcards
Where?
Sendai, Japan (north east)
What?
Earthquake and tsunami
Date?
11th March 2011 (14:46)
Richter scale?
9.0
Duration?
6 minutes
Causes?
3 tectonic plates meet near Japan, Philippine, Eurasian and Pacific and friction between them caused shock waves and movement was 18km beneath surface
Deaths?
15,900 killed - 14,308 by drowning by the 10 metre high tsunami, 667 from collapsed buildings, 145 from burns
Primary: building?
129,000 buildings totally collapsed and 4,700 homes. Tsunami swept away anything damaged and anything small enough e.g. Small homes
Primary: transport?
Road, railways, bridge and airports around Sendai destroyed and transport chaos around this hub mean getting aid in was difficultl
Primary: social - other problems?
Tokyo had no electricity for 4 million homes and offices, international airport closed as well as stock exchange, subway, mobile network and commuters stranded
Primary: environmental land?
Land around Sendai sank by 1.2 metres - foundations of remains buildings unsound
Primary: electricity and water?
In Sendai region 1.2 million left without electricity and 1.4 million left without water as pipes and pylons broken
Secondary: homeless?
530,000 homeless and many forced to flee homes in winter weather making provision of emergency centres challenging
Secondary: places for the homeless?
Schools, town halls and parked used and 2,500 evacuation centres created. But 24,000 people left isolated due to transport chaos
Secondary: fires?
Caused by cracked gas pipes and sparking damage of power cable destroyed many homes that had survived quake
Secondary: total cost?
Was $309 billion and inc. damage to roads, houses, factories, infrastructure representing 4% of Japan’s GDP
Secondary: jobs?
Jobs lost due to obliteration of many buildings and associated transport chaos. 300 Ports destroyed (fishing industry destroyed), farmland ruined by salt-water from tsunami and electronic firms offices destroyed
Secondary: nuclear?
Fukushima Nuclear reactor went into meltdown (survived earthquake but not tsunami), radiation leaks contaminated land, food and water - long term serious environmental issue
Immediate response: from Japan?
Military being brought in to lead search & rescue along with emergency services. PM broadcasts for calm and aircraft used to assess damage. Experts fly in - 59 from UK to help with search & rescue
Immediate response: hospital?
Local hospitals struggled to keep up with medical treatment demand due to transport problems and damage to supplies and personnel couldn’t reach hospital
Long-term response: recovery?
Very slow given extent of damage - electronics companies moved out of region, destroyed fishing industry contaminated farm land but were able to bring 98% of water supplies back to normal and 99% of landlines working by Nov
Long term Response: transport?
Transport networks made more earthquake proof and special disaster prevention routes designated and roads themselves and surrounding buildings reinforced to minimise damage
Sustainability: economic?
Many jobs have moved to other regions e.g. Electronics maker fishing and agriculture have still to recover due to radioactive lands
Sustainability: social?
Families wiped out or loved ones killed. Atomic divorces talked about and it will take several generations to recover from the loss, stress and worry
Sustainability: environmental?
Impossible to recover quickly from radioactive leaks - land and water can remain contaminated for several generations
