2.1 - Earthquake Case Study: Tohoku, Japan (Paper 1) Flashcards
Key Info: (5)
Location: Tohoku, Japan
Date: 11th March 2011
Magnitude: 9.0
Time: 2:46pm
Japan is one of the most active earthquake zones on earth.
Explain the cause of Tohuku Earthquake (6)
Japan is located in one of the most active earthquake zones on earth.
Tohoku, Japan is located on a destructive plate boundary
The Pacific Plate is mostly oceanic and the Eurasian plate is mostly continental and these plates moved towards each other at a rate of 9cm per year
The dense, oceanic Pacific plate subducts underneath the thicker continental Eurasian plate.
Because of the heat from the friction, this builds up great pressure which eventually caused a massive megathrust earthquake to form
The amount of energy released in this single earthquake was equivalent to 600 million times the energy of the Hiroshima nuclear bomb.
Explain how the Tohuku Earthquake effected the people:
Long Term: (3)
Short Term: (3)
LONG TERM:
- 333,000 buildings and roads have been destroyed which resulted at an economic cost was $235 billion
- 49% of people who lived near the coast did not follow the warning sounds
- 26 railways were destroyed.
SHORT TERM:
- 15,800 people died, 6,000 people were injured and 2,000 people were missing and were presumed dead
- A 9m high wave flooded plant generators and electrical wiring in North-eastern Japan. around 4.4 million households in North-East Japan were left without electricity
- There was a lot of damage and pollution up to 6 miles inland.
Explain the effects of the Tohuku Earthquake on the environment:
Long Term: (3)
Short Term: (3)
LONG TERM:
- In many parts of Tokyo, liquefication occurred. This is a problem because many parts of Tokyo is built on reclaimed land and therefore destroyed over 1000 buildings
- As a result of the earthquake and the tsunami, a 250 mile stretch of coastline dropped by 60m.
- Release of radioactive material from the damaged nuclear power plants
SHORT TERM:
Fore and aftershocks: Scientists estimate that over 800 earthquakes of magnitude 4.5 or more were recorded following the main earthquake
Tsunami: up to 40 m high. This caused a lot of damage and pollution up to 6 miles inland.
Land fall: the earthquake dropped the beachfronts in some places by more than 50 cm.
Explain the short-term responses to Tohoku Earthquake (3)
- Immediately after the earthquake, the government knew that a tsunami would hit the coast as a result of the vibrations, so they quickly constructed anti-tsunami defenses at heights of 20m
- Over 300,000 were left homeless and needed access to food, water, shelter and medicine. The army helped to build many temporary shelters very quickly
- Several countries including Singapore, New Zealand, Switzerland, the US and UK sent doctors and nurses to Japan. They also supplied $1 billion donations
Explain the long term responses to Tohoku Earthquake (3)
- Tsunami barriers: The original 12m tsunami barriers were replaced with ones that were 18m high.
- Predicting Earthquakes: Over £70 million was spent on lasers that are used to monitor even the slightest movement.
- Practicing Earthquake Drills: Every year on 1st September an earthquake and tsunami drill takes place
