Tohoku 2011 EQ and Tsunami Flashcards
Approximately how many people were killed in the 2011 Tohoku tsunami?
16,000
Give 2 things showing mitigation and preparedness in Japan for EQ in 2011
- strict building regulations -> EQ resistant buildings
- Tsunami sea walls on 40% of coastline; these were too small
How was prediction used in Japan to try and prepare for EQs?
- National Research Institute for Earthquake and Disaster Prevention (NIED) - monitored tremors for EWS
- 7 foreshocks on 9th March (2 days before)
How many seismic intensity meters are there in Japan?
3,600 - shows efforts at predicting hazardous events
How long before the tsunami hit Japan was it predicted and shared using the EWS?
20 minutes before
How was the EWS used in the 2011 disaster?
- Tokyo got an alert 1 minute before the EQ hit
- TV and News displayed warning of Tsunami
What were the tallest waves in the tsunami?
40m
How far inland did some tsunami waves reach?
10km
How many people were injured in the disaster?
6000
How many people were displaced as a result of the disaster?
300,000
How many buildings were completely destroyed by the tsunami?
127,000
How many homes were left without power?
4 million
How many homes were left without water?
1.5 million
How much damage was there to infrastructure?
US $30 billion (much wealthier country, had more sophisticated infrastructure)
Give 2 primary environmental impacts of the disaster?
- habitats destroyed
- 110,000 birds killed
- 5 million tonnes of debris
What is the name of the nuclear reactor impacted by the disaster?
Fukushima
What caused damage at the Fukushima power plant?
a fire
What was the evacuation zone around the Fukushima power plant?
20km
How many tonnes of radioactive material leaked into the pacific ocean?
300 tonnes a day
In the long-term, how much did the 2011 disaster cost Japan?
US $200-300billion
What is one secondary social impact of the disaster in 2011?
PTSD/psychological stress caused by the event
How did the Japanese government respond to the disaster?
100,000 Self Defence forces mobilised: provided medical aid and helped with tents and organisation
What magnitude was the EQ that caused the tsunami?
9.0
What was Japan’s GNI per capita in 2011?
$47,500
