Sendai Earthquake

Question 1

Background

Answer 1

Located 70km offshore from Sendai, Japan
Tsunami reached up to 10k inland
Magnitude 9.0
2011

Question 2

Vulnerability

Answer 2

Japan located on Pacific Ring of Fire
Many towns + cities on low-lying coast
Built on soft sediments, amplifying seismic waves
Aging population meant they struggled to evacuate quickly

Question 3

Primary Impacts

Answer 3

40m high tsunami
16,000 died
Severe infrastructure damage
Fires broke out

Question 4

Secondary Impacts

Answer 4

Nuclear disaster (160k people evacuated, contamination of water - env. damage)
$235bil economic cost - costliest natural disaster ever
470k homeless

Question 5

Preparation

Answer 5

Earthquake drills in schools
Earthquake resistant buildings

Question 6

Immediate response and evaluation

Answer 6

100k members of Japanese Army deployed for search and rescue
Aid from US military
Tsunami sea walls were too low
Power plant not prepared for disaster
Swift + effective in reducing fatalities but impact of tsunami was underestimated

Question 7

Long-term response and evaluation

Answer 7

$300bil from government for recovery
Improved tsunami defences
Fukushima shut down
250,000 temporary housing units
Aid helped stabilise effected industries