Tohoku Earthquake

Question 1

What were the causes of the Earthquake?

Answer 1

• Pacific Plate and North American Plate at a destructive plate boundary.
• Released hundreds of years of pressure.
• Subduction zone was directly underneath Japan.

Question 2

Facts about the Earthquake

Answer 2

• Sparked a tsunami.
• Magnitude 9
• East of Honshu
• 11th March 2011

Question 3

What were the human effects?

Answer 3

• 15,000 deaths
• Cost $309 billion.
• 56 bridges destroyed:
  
  • This caused flooding as a larger surface area of bridge disrupted the flows of rivers.
• Electricity cables damaged.
  
  • 4.4 million homes in the North without electricity.
• 2,000 roads destroyed.
  
  • This increased emergency response time which magnified the effects of the earthquake.
  • In the long term, caused loss of working days which impacted the economy.
• Led to a level 9 nuclear meltdown.
  
  • Lost jobs
  • Fukushima effect in nearby countries e.g. China unwilling to approve new plants.
  • Water and rice contaminated - food shortages
• Dams broke
  
  • Caused flooding.
• Ports damaged
  
  • Damaged trade in long term.

Question 4

What were the environmental effects of the earthquake?

Answer 4

• Water pollution, because tsunami picked up debris.
• Tsunami damaged coastal areas.
• Fukushima level 9 meltdown contaminated the water supply - Pacific contaminated

Question 5

What were the responses?

Answer 5

• Short term:
  
  • Sewater pumped into reactor to cool it down.
  • Temporary homes for workers and residents.
  • Charities sent rescue teams.
• Long term:
  
  • Over 100 countries helped, especially New Zealand and Australia
  • Studied scientifically abroad