Earthquakes Flashcards

You may prefer our related Brainscape-certified flashcards:
1
Q

At what kind of plate boundary did the Sichuan earthquake occur?

A

Collision; where the Indian and Eurasian plates meet

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

When did the Sichuan earthquake occur?

A

12th May 2008

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

What was the effect of the Sichuan earthquake on the la d around it?

A

Moved 9m north

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

What magnitude was the Sichuan earthquake?

A

7.9

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

During the Sichuan earthquake, shockwaves could be felt in Beijing and Shanghai. How far away are these cities from the epicentre?

A

1500km and 1700km

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

Why was it difficult to get relief to Sichuan?

A

Routes blocked by landslides caused by the earthquake

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

In terms of GDP, Sichuan ranks ….. out of 31 Chinese provinces.

A

25th

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

Why did so many buildings in Sichuan collapse?

A

They were poorly built, despite building regulations; schools were particularly bad

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

How ,may classrooms collapsed in Sichuan?

A

7000, killing 19,000 children

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

How many people died in the Sichuan earthquake?

A

Around 90,000

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

How many people were evacuated from Sichuan?

A

15 million

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

How many people in Sichuan were displaced?

A

5 million

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

How many buildings in Sichuan were destroyed?

A

5 million, 21 million were damaged

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

What were the secondary impacts of the Sichuan earthquake?

A

700 people killed in landslide in Qingchuan, fracturing of nearly 2,500 dams, threat of flooding for 700,000 people

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

How might humans have caused the Sichuan earthquake?

A

The Zipingpu Dam, holding 315 million tonnes of water, was completed two years before the earthquake and is located 5km away from the epicentre

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

How many lakes were created by landslides in Sichuan?

A

34

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

How had China tried to modify the vulnerability of people in earthquake prone areas?

A

Provinces were identified as at different levels of risk, then each level had building regulations; any construction after 1976 in Sichuan should have been reinforced with steel

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

How many buildings in Japan were destroyed by the Sendai earthquake and tsunami?

A

112,000

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

How many people died or are missing after the Sendai earthquake and tsunami?

A

20,000

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
20
Q

Why were people in towns such as Minami Sanriku vulnerable to the tsunami?

A

Their houses don’t have foundations, so they were swept away

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
21
Q

Which buildings of importance were destroyed in the tsunami at Minami Sanriku?

A

The bottom four floors of the hospital were wiped out, the tsunami warning tower was destroyed causing the death of a woman who stayed to warn everyone over intercom

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
22
Q

What sea defences did the Fukushima power plant have in place?

A

5.5m sea wall, tsunami waves were twice this height

23
Q

What effect did the tsunami have on the Fukushima power plant?

A

Short circuited cooling system causing reactor to explode

24
Q

Why is Japan so susceptible to earthquakes?

A

It lies in the Pacific Ring of Fire, where four plates (NA, Pacific, Philippine and Eurasian) are all moving towards each other

25
Q

What magnitude was the Sendai earthquake?

A

9

26
Q

What effect did the Sendai earthquake have on the land around it?

A

It moved 10m along a 400km fault

27
Q

How did the tsunami travel?

A

In deep water waves were around 50cm tall with wavelengths of 100km rather than the normal 10s of m, little energy lost, 700km/h; in shallow water slowed, got taller (over 10m)

28
Q

How long did it take the tsunami to hit after the earthquake?

A

30 minutes

29
Q

How many people were made homeless by the Sendai earthquake and tsunami?

A

500,000

30
Q

How many people had to live in temporary shelters in Japan?

A

150,000

31
Q

What were the immediate responses to the Sendai earthquake and tsunami?

A

Search and rescue, exclusion zone set up around Fukushima power plant, homes evacuated

32
Q

How were people in Japan warned of the earthquake and tsunami?

A

Automatic warnings sent to phones and TVs

33
Q

Where was the hypo centre of the Sendai earthquake?

A

100km off the east coast of Japan

34
Q

What proportion of the deaths in Japan were due to the tsunami?

A

90%

35
Q

How long did it take to get rid of all the debris in Japan?

A

3 years

36
Q

How much was the insurance bill after the Sendai earthquake and tsunami?

A

£20 billion

37
Q

Japan experienced its first trade deficit in …… years.

A

30

38
Q

In what way was Japan more prepared for an earthquake than Sichuan?

A

Building regulations had been adhered to and had proved effective

39
Q

When did the Sendai earthquake occur?

A

11th March 2011

40
Q

When did the Shinkansen begin operations again?

A

End of April

41
Q

What effect has the Fukushima nuclear disaster had on people living near it?

A

20km radius evacuated, couldn’t return to homes as radiation levels are 15 times higher than before, water and food may be contaminated, fish can’t be eaten for 10 years

42
Q

What is a soft storey?

A

The bottom storey of a building that is designed to collapse to minimise damage to the above storeys (car parks)

43
Q

How are buildings in Japan protected from fire?

A

Fire-resistant, advanced firefighting facilities, smart meters that automatically shut off gas supplies in an earthquake

44
Q

What do citizens of Tokyo all have?

A

Emergency earthquake supplies, knowledge of evacuation routes and shelters

45
Q

What can be put into houses to minimise the damage of earthquakes?

A

L-shaped brackets secure bookshelves, cabinets etc to walls, strategic placement of beds (not near windows) and heavy items (not on shelves)

46
Q

What is cross-bracing?

A

A form of earthquake proof architecture involving diagonal supports; during an earthquake one may be in tension and the other in slack, allowing movement

47
Q

Why are moats used in skyscraper building?

A

Skyscrapers may be built to swing in an earthquake, so moats/buffer zones surround them to ensure buildings don’t collide

48
Q

When was the Nepal earthquake?

A

25th April 2015

49
Q

What was the magnitude of the Nepal earthquake?

A

7.8

50
Q

What was the distance between Kathmandu and the earthquake epicentre?

A

81km

51
Q

When was the major aftershock of the Nepal earthquake?

A

12th May; magnitude 7.3

52
Q

How many people died in the Nepal earthquake?

A

Around 9,000 and 50,000 people were internally displaced

53
Q

How much may the Nepal earthquake have cost?

A

$7 billion, a third of GDP

54
Q

Why was access to remote villages in Nepal difficult?

A

Roads were blocked by landslides, collapsed buildings, tension cracks; helicopters couldn’t be flown into some areas due to fears of blowing roofs off houses