Earthquake Impacts Case Study - Japan (AC) Flashcards
(22 cards)
How many minor earthquakes does Japan experience a day?
400.
How many 7.0 MW or higher earthquakes have struck Japan since 2000, and how many deaths have been caused?
23 different earthquakes, causing 16,000 deaths.
What two elements of Japan’s tectonic setting makes potential earthquakes so dangerous?
- Four tectonic plates meet just off the south-east coast of Japan, making the area very tectonically active.
- Offshore earthquake are frequent and can cause tsunamis, a major hazard to Japan’s large coastal cities such as Japan or Osaka.
When did the Tōhoku earthquake hit Japan?
March 11, 2011.
What was the moment magnitude of the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake?
9.0 MW.
Where was the 2011 Tōhoku earthquakes epicentre and focus?
The epicentre was 70km off the north-east coast of Honshu, and the focus was about 30km deep.
How long did the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake last, and what magnitude were the aftershocks?
The earthquake lasted 6 minutes, and had a series of 7.0-8.0 MW aftershocks.
In what two ways did the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake compare to recorded history?
- It was the longest recorded earthquake in history.
- One of the 5 largest earthquakes since accurate records began.
What type of earthquake was the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake?
An undersea megathrust earthquake.
What four effects did the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake have on the island and earth itself?
- Honshu moved 2.4m to the east.
- 400km of coastline dropped by 0.6m.
- The sea bed rose by 7m and moved 40-50m to the west.
- The earth shifted on its axis by 10-25cm.
How high and far inland did tsunami waves caused by the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake reach?
Heights of 40.5m were reached by waves upon hitting the coast, and some waves travelled up to 10km inland.
How many people were killed or injured by the tsunamis caused by the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake?
Nearly 16,000 people were killed, and nearly 6000 more were injured.
What was the highest cause of death from the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake, and what percentage of deaths did it make up?
Drowning made up nearly 90% of the deaths.
How many children were separated from their families by the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake?
100,000.
What is the estimated cost of damages caused to Japan by the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake?
Between US$200 billion and US$1 trillion depending on what timescale and costs are considered.
How many buildings and vehicles were damaged or destroyed by the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake?
- 45,700 buildings were destroyed and 143,300 were damaged.
- 230,000 vehicles were damaged or destroyed.
In what three ways were ports affected by the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake?
- 15 ports were majorly affected.
- 4 ports in the north-east were completely destroyed.
- 10% of all fishing ports were damaged.
How many households or businesses experienced electricity losses and how frequent were power cuts following the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake?
- 4.4 million households and thousands of businesses lost electricity.
- Large areas experienced several weeks of power cuts that lasted 3 to 4 hours.
How many train stations were destroyed by the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake?
23.
How many tonnes of debris had to be cleared following the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake?
25 million tonnes.
What three impacts did the nuclear meltdown of Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant have?
- The cost of cleaning up radioactive material and providing compensation to victims of Fukushima was estimated to cost US$180 billion.
- Over 160,000 local residents were displaced by the evacuation zone around the plant.
- It raised a political issue around the safety and regulation of nuclear power.
What two major problems with Japan’s stock market did the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake cause?
- The market crashed due to negative impacts on the production and exporting of Japanese parts.
- To stabilise the stock market, billions of yen were injected into the stock market, greatly increasing government debt.
