Economic Impacts Flashcards
What is the estimated cost of the earthquake, including reconstruction?
Between US$200 billion and nearly five times that amount
The exact cost can vary depending on inclusions and timescales.
What factors influence the cost estimation of disasters?
What is included and the timescale used
Different methodologies can lead to varying estimates.
What is uncertain about the future costs related to the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear site?
The future costs of storing the waste after clearing up
This uncertainty affects overall cost assessments.
What was the official number of buildings destroyed by the earthquake?
45,700 buildings destroyed
In addition, 143,300 buildings were damaged.
How many vehicles were either destroyed or damaged in the earthquake?
230,000 vehicles
This includes both destroyed and damaged vehicles.
What percentage of Japan’s fishing ports were damaged?
10 percent
Most of the fishing ports had reopened a year after the earthquake.
How many households lost electricity due to the earthquake?
4.4 million households
Thousands of businesses also lost power.
What was the major cause of the power disruption following the earthquake?
Immediate shutdown of 11 nuclear reactors
This was due to the damage from the tsunami.
What happened to the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant as a result of the tsunami?
The plant was decommissioned
All six reactors were severely damaged and cooling systems were disabled.
What caused the meltdown of reactor cores at Fukushima?
Sea water flooding disabled cooling systems
This led to the release of radioactivity.
What was established around the Fukushima plant due to radiation concerns?
A 30 km evacuation zone
This was necessary to protect residents from contamination.
What impact did the earthquake have on the fishing industry?
Radioactivity continues to seep into the Pacific Ocean
This has ongoing effects and incurs further costs.
How long did power cuts last in Japan after the earthquake?
3-4 hours at a time
These power cuts lasted for several weeks.
How many train stations were swept away by the earthquake?
Twenty-three train stations
Others suffered severe damage, including collapsed roofs.
What was the total amount of debris created by the earthquake?
25 million tonnes
This required a costly clean-up operation.
What happened to farmland in large areas due to the tsunami?
Farmland was flooded by sea water and contaminated by salt
This made the land uncultivable.
True or False: Two oil refineries were set on fire during the earthquake.
True
One fire took ten days to put out.
What infrastructure was badly hit in the northeast of Japan?
Transport infrastructure
Many road bridges were damaged or destroyed.
What was the impact on Japan’s stock market?
Japan’s stock market fell due to business implications
Which companies were specifically mentioned as being affected?
Sony, Toyota, and Panasonic
What caused the production issues for these companies?
The shortage of electricity
How were overseas operations affected?
Supplies of parts exported from Japan were interrupted
