Geography Topic 1 case study. Japan and Hanoi

When and where did the Tohoku earthquake happen?

2:47pm on 11 March 2011 in north-east Japan. The epicentre was 130km east of Sendai.

What was the magnitude of the Tohoku earthquake?

9.0 Mw

What type of plate boundary caused the Tohoku earthquake?

A destructive plate boundary where the Pacific Plate subducted beneath the Eurasian Plate at the Japan Trench.

How deep was the focus of the Tohoku earthquake?

30km relatively shallow

What secondary hazard was triggered by the Tohoku earthquake?

A tsunami

How fast did the tsunami travel?

Up to 800km/h

How high were the tsunami waves?

Up to 10m high

How far inland did the tsunami travel?

Up to 10km inland

What were the primary impacts of the Tohoku earthquake?

667–1479 deaths from collapsing buildings; buildings and railways damaged; electric power and sewer systems disrupted; liquefaction in Tokyo; over 1000 buildings damaged

What were the secondary impacts of the Tohoku earthquake?

Over 17000 deaths from drowning; 5000 injured or missing; 127000 buildings collapsed; 1.2 million severely damaged; 2000 roads 56 bridges and 26 railway lines destroyed; Fukushima nuclear disaster; damage exceeded US$300 billion

Why did the Fukushima nuclear meltdown happen?

The tsunami damaged backup generators after the power supply failed causing cooling systems to stop working

What immediate responses happened after the Tohoku earthquake?

Warnings allowed evacuation; Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre issued alerts; rescue workers and Japanese soldiers mobilised; international aid arrived; Red Cross Red Crescent NGOs and private companies helped

What problems affected rescue efforts in Japan?

Blocked roads lack of communication and bad weather

How many people were displaced after the Tohoku earthquake?

Over 130000 people

How many people were evacuated around Fukushima?

About 140000 people within a 20km radius

What long-term responses took place after the Tohoku earthquake?

10000 temporary homes built in Sendai; transport and communication restored; rebuilding agency set up in 2012; rebuilding expected to take 10 years; sea wall construction began by 2015

How has Japan reduced the impacts of future earthquakes?

Strict building codes; retrofitting older buildings; emergency drills; better emergency training; National Disaster Prevention Day every 1st September

When and where did the Haiti earthquake happen?

4:53pm on 12 January 2010. The epicentre was 25km southwest of Port-au-Prince.

What was the magnitude of the Haiti earthquake?

7.0 Mw

What type of plate boundary caused the Haiti earthquake?

A conservative plate boundary between the Caribbean Plate and North American Plate

How deep was the focus of the Haiti earthquake?

3km very shallow

What were the aftershock magnitudes in Haiti?

Between 5.5 and 6.0

What were the primary impacts of the Haiti earthquake?

316000 deaths; 300000 injured; 3 million affected; 1.5 million homeless; 180000 homes destroyed; all 8 hospitals destroyed; 5000 schools damaged or destroyed; all 3 universities collapsed; prison collapsed and 4000 inmates escaped; port and airport damaged; utilities disrupted

What were the secondary impacts of the Haiti earthquake?

Cholera outbreak; hurricane season worsened conditions; factories closed; tourism stopped; economy declined; looting and crime increased; government and police collapsed

Why was Haiti less able to respond to the earthquake?

Haiti was a poor developing country and was unprepared for the disaster

What immediate responses took place after the Haiti earthquake?

International rescue teams arrived; USA and Dominican Republic sent aid; American engineers cleared the port; UN and US troops maintained order; DEC raised £100 million

What long-term responses took place after the Haiti earthquake?

235000 people moved to less damaged areas; buildings inspected and repaired; earthquake-resistant rebuilding used tyres bamboo and straw bales; 200000 people given work clearing debris; World Bank cancelled debt repayments for 5 years

What problems continued years after the Haiti earthquake?

By 2013 less than half the aid had arrived; by 2015 around 500000 people were still homeless; many lacked water sewage and electricity; cholera killed over 8000 people

Which earthquake had the larger magnitude?

Japan with 9.0 Mw

Which earthquake caused more deaths?

Haiti with around 316000 deaths

Why did Haiti suffer more deaths despite a smaller earthquake?

Poor building quality; limited emergency planning; weak infrastructure; lack of money for preparation and recovery

Why did Japan recover more quickly than Haiti?

Wealthier economy; better infrastructure; strict building regulations; advanced warning systems; effective emergency response

Which earthquake caused a nuclear disaster?

The Tohoku earthquake in Japan