Case Study: Earthquake

Question 1

Describe the date, magnitude and location of the Japan earthquake

Answer 1

11th march 2011
North east japan
9.0 magnitude

Question 2

Describe the date, magnitude and location of the Haiti earthquake

Answer 2

12th January 2010
7.0 magnitude
25km south of the capital

Question 3

What were the Primary impacts of the Japan Earthquake?

Answer 3

Thousands of buildings were damages

Vibrations cause liquefaction

Question 4

What were the Primary impacts of the Haiti Earthquake?

Answer 4

316,000 people died 
30,000 injured
180,000 homes were destroyed
1.5million made homeless 
8 hospital destroyed or damaged
5000 schools were destroyed or damaged 
Port communications and major roads were damaged beyond repair

Question 5

What were the secondary impacts of the Japan quake

Answer 5

Triggered a tsunami.
Hundreds of thousands of buildings completely destroyed
230,000 people made homeless
Power lines were cut causing power plant meltdown
Road and rail networks suffered 325km of railway track washed away

Question 6

What were the secondary impacts of the Haiti quake

Answer 6

8000 people died from cholera
60% of Haitis exports and tourism stopped, 1 in 5 lost job
Looting and crime increased and police and government collapsed
The port was destroyed making aid difficult

Question 7

Describe the short term relief for people in Japan

Answer 7

International aid and search and rescue teams were brought in.
Rescue workers and soldiers were sent to help deal with the aftermath
Transport and communication were restored a couple weeks after as well
as power supplies

Question 8

Describe the short term relief for people in Haiti

Answer 8

Emergency aid was slow due to there being no government building.
International aid and search and rescue teams were flown in to help
Food, water and medical supplies and temporary shelters provided by USA
Disaster commission raised 100million

Question 9

What was the long term planning like in Japan?

Answer 9

The authorities gave an advanced warning for people to get to high ground and evacuate
Despite shaking in Tokyo no buildings collapsed due to buildings with earthquake proof designes
Nobody died on bullet train due to auto braking system

Question 10

What was the long term planning like in Haiti?

Answer 10

Haiti was completely unprepared for the earthquake and now monitoring systems are used
Government moved 235000 people to less damaged areas.
3/4 of buildings were inspected and repaired. They are now built with earthquake resistant re-build techniques.