Tohoku 2011 EQ and Tsunami

Question 1

Approximately how many people were killed in the 2011 Tohoku tsunami?

Answer 1

16,000

Question 2

Give 2 things showing mitigation and preparedness in Japan for EQ in 2011

Answer 2

• strict building regulations -> EQ resistant buildings
• Tsunami sea walls on 40% of coastline; these were too small

Question 3

How was prediction used in Japan to try and prepare for EQs?

Answer 3

• National Research Institute for Earthquake and Disaster Prevention (NIED) - monitored tremors for EWS
• 7 foreshocks on 9th March (2 days before)

Question 4

How many seismic intensity meters are there in Japan?

Answer 4

3,600 - shows efforts at predicting hazardous events

Question 5

How long before the tsunami hit Japan was it predicted and shared using the EWS?

Answer 5

20 minutes before

Question 6

How was the EWS used in the 2011 disaster?

Answer 6

• Tokyo got an alert 1 minute before the EQ hit
• TV and News displayed warning of Tsunami

Question 7

What were the tallest waves in the tsunami?

Answer 7

40m

Question 8

How far inland did some tsunami waves reach?

Answer 8

10km

Question 9

How many people were injured in the disaster?

Answer 9

6000

Question 10

How many people were displaced as a result of the disaster?

Answer 10

300,000

Question 11

How many buildings were completely destroyed by the tsunami?

Answer 11

127,000

Question 12

How many homes were left without power?

Answer 12

4 million

Question 13

How many homes were left without water?

Answer 13

1.5 million

Question 14

How much damage was there to infrastructure?

Answer 14

US $30 billion (much wealthier country, had more sophisticated infrastructure)

Question 15

Give 2 primary environmental impacts of the disaster?

Answer 15

• habitats destroyed
• 110,000 birds killed

Question 16

What is the name of the nuclear reactor impacted by the disaster?

Answer 16

Fukushima

Question 17

What caused damage at the Fukushima power plant?

Answer 17

a fire

Question 18

What was the evacuation zone around the Fukushima power plant?

Answer 18

20km

Question 19

How many tonnes of radioactive material leaked into the pacific ocean?

Answer 19

300 tonnes a day

Question 20

In the long-term, how much did the 2011 disaster cost Japan?

Answer 20

US $300billion

Question 21

What was a long-term/secondary impact of the disaster that caused environmental impacts?

Answer 21

• 5 million tonnes of debris washed back into ocean- destroying habitats
• GHG released by collapsed buildings

Question 22

What is one secondary social impact of the disaster in 2011?

Answer 22

• ## PTSD/psychological stress caused by the event

Question 23

How did the Japanese government respond to the disaster?

Answer 23

Self Defense forces provided medical aid and helped with tents and organisation

Question 24

What magnitude was the EQ that caused the tsunami?

Answer 24

9

Question 25

What was Japan’s GNI per capita in 2011?

Answer 25

$47,500