Unit 1: Topic 2 - Case Study 5 - Tsunami (SENDAI, Japan)

Question 1

When?

Answer 1

March, 11 2011

Question 2

Where?

Answer 2

• Major damage closer to shore.

- North-East coast of Honshu.

Question 3

Why?

Answer 3

• EURASIAN plate ‘flicked’ after it was under tension and cause a VERTICAL displacement of water.
• DESTRUCTIVE PLATE MARGIN
• PACIFIC plate subducted by the EURASIAN plate.w

Question 4

What?

Answer 4

• 3/4th biggest earthquake in Japan (Richter 8/9)
• 2,000,000X stronger than the A-Bomb.
• Liquidfaction
• 7-10 meter tsunamis moving in-land
• Flooding (SECONDARY)
• As debris accumulated, the water was more dense and more powerful which led to certain death if people were in contact.
• Fukashima nuclear powerplant leaked radioactive material. They shut it down. As a result, there was no electricity. (SECONDARY)
• R.I.P Infrastructure
  - Houses were swept away. Some had oil-lamp fires which burned too.
• Cars were swept away.

Question 5

Who?

Answer 5

WON?

• Architects as their aseismic buildings survived.
• Structures were saved so not much damage.

LOST?
- 1 person died in Hawaii as waves radiated outwards too.

Question 6

How?

Answer 6

• Very well trained crew to rescue people.
• Tsunami warning centers monitored activity.
• Scientists analyzed the tsunami to predict where it would hit to prevent casualties.
• Seismometers predicted earthquake.
• Automatic warnings on phones (catfish)
• Prepared so no panic