JAPAN 2011 EARTHQUAKE

Background info

• GDP per capita: US$35,000

• HDI: 0.903

• Population 126,000,000

• Earthquake 9.0 magnitude on Richter scale

• Epicentre 250 NE of Tokyo at depth of 20 miles

Cause of the earthquake

• japan located on eastern edge of the Eurasian plate

• Eurasian plate subducted by pacific plate, forming a subduction zone east of japan

• Friction built and released as a “megathrust” earthquake

• Relatively shallow depth of 20 miles and high magnitude led to tsunami

Immediate social impacts

• 15,000 dead

• 26,000 injured

• 130,000 displaced

• 11 hospitals destroyed and 300 damaged

• 4.4 million homes without power

Immediate environmental impacts

• some coastal areas dropped by 50cm

• Liquefaction occurred in Tokyo

Secondary social impacts

• tsunami cased damage up to 6 miles inland and only 58% followed warnings

• Rural areas isolated due to road and train damage

Secondary economic impacts

• estimated cost of US$235 billion

• 5-10% wiped in value from japans stock market

Secondary environmental impacts

• tsunami waves up to 40m high

• Fukushima power plant: 7 reactors experienced meltdowns. Caused 8x normal radiation levels

• Over 700 aftershocks in following 2 weeks

Immediate national response

• tsunami warnings issued 3 minutes following earthquake

• Rescue workers and 100,000 members of japan’s self-defence force helped search and rescue within hours (access to some areas harder because of debris from tsunami)

• Government declared a 20km evacuation zone around the Fukushima power plant to reduce risk of radiation exposure

• Hundreds of thousands moved to temporary shelter

Immediate international response

• received international help from the US military, New Zealand, India, South Korea, china and Australia

Long-term response

• in April 2011, central government established the Reconstruction Policy Council with a $190 billion budget over 10 years

• By late march, 375km of Tonoku Expressway was repaired and reopened, and the runway at Sendai airport was repaired

• By November 2011, 99% of electricity, water, and and line network had been restored.