Tohoku Earthquake & Tsunami (Hazards)

Question 1

In what year was the Tohoku earthquake?

Answer 1

2011

Question 2

Where did the Tohoku earthquake rank on the Richter Scale?

Answer 2

9 (out of 9)

Question 3

How deep was the focus of the Tohoku earthquake?

Answer 3

32 km (relatively shallow)

Question 4

What primary hazards were seen in the Tohoku earthquake?

Answer 4

Ground shaking - and by extension buildings too.

Question 5

What secondary hazards were seen in the Tohoku earthquake?

Answer 5

A 40 m tall tsunami

Liquefaction occurred in Tokyo (375 km from the epicenter)

Question 6

Why is Japan a well equipped at being able to recover from hazard events?

Answer 6

It is a HIC with huge economic reserves that can be used to recover and prepare for future events.

Question 8

How long of a warning did the public have before the Tohoku earthquake began?

Answer 8

one minute

Question 9

What could be argued about the physical vs human factors in the Tohoku earthquake?

Answer 9

Despite being equipped with good management strategies, the sheer scale of the physical factors would overcome any of the nation’s attempts at mitigation.

Question 10

What responses were there after the earthquake/tsunami in Tohoku? (4)

Answer 10

450,000 were evacuated

70,000 temporary houses were set up

a 20km radius around Fukushima Daiichi power plant was evacuated

The UK sent out search & rescue teams

Question 11

What were the four key SEEP impacts of the event in Tohoku?

Answer 11

S -19,000 were killed

Ec - $235 billion (USD) in damages (5.4% of GNP)

En - Fukushima explosion contaminated nearby food and water sources

P - ruling party at the time re-evaluated national focus

Question 12

What percent of the damage in Tohoku was caused by the tsunami?

Answer 12

98%