Tohoku

Question 1

Which area showed unusually low mortality for school-aged children?

Answer 1

Iwate

Question 2

How many deaths resulted from the 2011 Tohoku tsunami?

Answer 2

Nearly 20,000 deaths, with over 99% occurring in Iwate, Miyagi, and Fukushima prefectures.

Question 3

What was the primary cause of death in the 2011 Tohoku disaster?

Answer 3

Drowning due to the tsunami, rather than building collapse.

Question 4

Which prefectures were most affected by mortalities?

Answer 4

Iwate, Miyagi, and Fukushima.

Question 5

How did mortality rates vary by age?

Answer 5

Mortality increased with age across all regions.

Question 6

Which age group had the highest mortality rates?

Answer 6

Adults aged 65 years and older.

Question 7

Which age group had the lowest mortality rates in Iwate?

Answer 7

School-aged children (5-14 years).

Question 8

How did mortality rates for children aged 0-4 compare to those aged 5-14?

Answer 8

Higher mortality rates for children aged 0-4 across all areas.

Question 9

Where were school-aged children most at risk?

Answer 9

Northern Miyagi and the South (Southern Miyagi and Fukushima).

Question 10

How did the South compare to Northern Miyagi in overall mortality rates?

Answer 10

The South had lower overall mortality rates.

Question 11

Was there a significant difference in mortality between males and females?

Answer 11

No, there were no significant sex differences in mortality rates.

Question 12

Why might preschool children (0-4 years) have higher mortality rates?

Answer 12

They may have been at home or under less formal supervision during the tsunami.

Question 13

Q: What protected school-aged children in Iwate?

Answer 13

A: Schools practiced immediate evacuation without returning children home.

Question 14

Q: Why did school-aged children in Northern Miyagi have higher mortality rates?

Answer 14

A: Some schools delayed evacuation, contributing to higher casualties.

Question 15

How did the time of day influence mortality patterns?

Answer 15

The tsunami struck in the afternoon on a weekday, affecting children at schools and adults at workplaces.

Question 16

What geographic feature increased vulnerability in Iwate and Northern Miyagi?

Answer 16

Deeply indented coastlines with narrow flatlands bordered by sea and mountains.

Question 17

Why was mortality lower in the South?

Answer 17

Broader flatlands and a larger population living inland reduced exposure to the tsunami.

Question 18

What percentage of schools had prepared evacuation plans?

Answer 18

Only 50% of schools affected by the tsunami had evacuation plans.

Question 19

How did evacuation practices vary between schools?

Answer 19

Practices varied greatly; some schools immediately moved children to safe sites, while others returned children to parents.

Question 20

What was a key factor in saving schoolchildren’s lives in Iwate?

Answer 20

Schools did not return children home but evacuated them to higher ground.

Question 21

What happened in the Northern Miyagi school with the highest death toll?

Answer 21

Delayed evacuation led to 74 children dying or going missing.

Question 22

Why might elderly adults have had higher mortality rates?

Answer 22

They may have been less able to evacuate promptly or withstand the tsunami’s force.

Question 23

How did cultural norms affect evacuation behavior?

Answer 23

Immediate evacuation was culturally ingrained, but some relied on traditional knowledge, which underestimated the tsunami’s scale.

Question 24

What lesson was learned regarding school evacuations?

Answer 24

Immediate evacuation without waiting for parents or official alerts can save lives.

Question 25

What recommendation was made to improve future safety?

Answer 25

Standardizing school evacuation plans and conducting regular drills to ensure prompt action.

Question 26

Where did the Tohoku earthquake occur?

Answer 26

Off the eastern coast of Japan, near the boundary of the Pacific and Eurasian plates.

Question 27

Which tectonic plates are involved in the Tohoku region?

Answer 27

Pacific, Eurasian, Philippine, and Okhotsk plates.

Question 28

What type of plate boundary is found off the coast of Japan?

Answer 28

Convergent plate boundary, where the Pacific plate is subducting beneath the Eurasian plate.

Question 29

How fast is the Pacific plate moving towards the Eurasian plate?

Answer 29

7.6–10.2 cm per year.

Question 30

What magnitude was the Tohoku earthquake?

Answer 30

9.0 on the Richter Scale, the fifth most powerful ever recorded globally.

Question 31

What triggered the Tohoku tsunami?

Answer 31

A 480-km stretch of the Pacific plate breaking free and surging under Japan, causing a massive displacement of water.

Question 32

What factors affect tsunami height and destructiveness?

Answer 32

Earthquake magnitude, volume of displaced water, sea floor topography, and natural obstacles.

Question 33

How far inland did the Tohoku tsunami travel?

Answer 33

Up to 10 km inland.

Question 34

Which city’s airport was rendered unusable by the tsunami?

Answer 34

Sendai Airport.

Question 35

What percentage of the victims were aged 60 or older?

Answer 35

65.2%.

Question 36

How many buildings were destroyed and damaged?

Answer 36

45,700 buildings destroyed and 144,300 damaged.

Question 37

How many people were evacuated due to the Fukushima nuclear crisis?

Answer 37

More than 200,000 people.

Question 38

What was one major challenge for rescuers after the disaster?

Answer 38

Lack of communication due to destroyed mobile networks and power outages.

Question 39

Which nuclear power plant was critically damaged?

Answer 39

Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant.

Question 40

What caused the nuclear power plant crisis?

Answer 40

Tsunami damage led to safety system failures and serial explosions.

Question 41

What term was used to describe the workers who stayed to control the nuclear crisis?

Answer 41

The "Fukushima 50".

Question 42

How many households were left without water and electricity?

Answer 42

1.5 million without water; 4.4 million without electricity.

Question 43

What major issue did survivors face in evacuation shelters?

Answer 43

Hypothermia due to inadequate heating and resources.

Question 44

Why did some survivors experience shame after the disaster?

Answer 44

Due to cultural norms in Japan, needing to scavenge for food was seen as dishonorable

Question 45

What long-term economic impact did the disaster have?

Answer 45

Massive reconstruction costs and long-term radioactive contamination affecting agriculture.

Question 46

How does Japan's experience with earthquakes compare to other countries?

Answer 46

Japan is highly prepared, but the scale of this disaster exceeded expectations.

Question 47

What change in energy policy did Japan consider after the disaster?

Answer 47

Moving away from nuclear energy towards renewables and conservation strategies.

Question 48

When did the Fukushima disaster occur?

Answer 48

11 March 2011 at 2:46 pm local time.

Question 49

What was the magnitude of the main earthquake?

Answer 49

9.0 on the Richter scale, the fifth largest since 1900.

Question 50

Where was the earthquake's epicenter?

Answer 50

72 km off the coast of Sendai, at a depth of 24 km.

Question 51

Which tectonic plates are involved?

Answer 51

The Pacific Plate is subducting below the Okhotsk Plate.

Question 52

Why was the earthquake considered a 1 in 1000 year event?

Answer 52

Seismic waves traveled along many interlinked fault systems for 500 km, causing massive crustal displacement.

Question 53

How high was the seafloor displaced?

Answer 53

The seafloor was raised by 16 m, with 50 m of horizontal displacement.

Question 54

How soon did the tsunami develop after the earthquake?

Answer 54

Within 20 minutes.

Question 55

What was the highest recorded wave height?

Answer 55

15 m.

Question 56

How far inland did the tsunami reach on the Sendai Plain?

Answer 56

Up to 5 km inland.

Question 57

What percentage of vegetation was destroyed?

Answer 57

95% of all vegetation along the impacted coastline.

Question 58

Which nuclear power plant was affected?

Answer 58

Fukushima No.1 nuclear power plant.

Question 59

How did the tsunami cause the nuclear disaster?

Answer 59

Tsunami waves flooded the power station, disabling the cooling system and leading to hydrogen explosions.

Question 60

What was used as an emergency coolant?

Answer 60

Seawater was sprayed over the reactors.

Question 61

How many reactors were affected at Fukushima No.1?

Answer 61

Six reactors; three were operational at the time and shut down, but the cooling systems failed.

Question 62

What is the half life of the radioactive substance that contaminated the food chain?

Answer 62

30 years.

Question 63

What was a major issue for survivors in evacuation shelters?

Answer 63

Lack of food, water, and adequate sanitation.

Question 64

What was the estimated economic loss from the disaster?

Answer 64

Over $300 billion, making it the world's costliest natural disaster.

Question 65

How did the disaster impact global supply chains?

Answer 65

It disrupted production for companies like Sony, Nissan, and Panasonic.

Question 66

What was the impact on Japan's energy supply?

Answer 66

All 54 nuclear power plants were shut down, increasing reliance on expensive fossil fuel imports.

Question 67

What environmental phenomenon was triggered by the earthquake?

Answer 67

Landslides and liquefaction on reclaimed land.

Question 68

How did the tsunami impact coastal ecosystems?

Answer 68

Massive sediment transfer and changes to coastal ecosystems, affecting fishing and farming.

Question 69

Why did Japan's preparedness systems fail?

Answer 69

The event exceeded the scale predicted, and infrastructure was not designed for a magnitude 9.0 earthquake.

Question 70

What changes were proposed for future disaster resilience?

Answer 70

Relocation to higher ground, integrated land use regulations, and promotion of renewable energy.