Please enable JavaScript.
Coggle requires JavaScript to display documents.
HIC Japan Earthquake 2011 - Coggle Diagram
HIC Japan Earthquake 2011
Basic Facts
Focus depth approx 25km
Epicentre approx. 130km offshore
Caused tsunami
Tohoku region (North-East coast of Honshu)
Destructive plate boundary
2:46pm
Japan = High Income Country
11th March 2011
Causes
Occurred at destructive plate boundary called the Japan Trench
Pacific Plate moved westward and subducted beneath the North American Plate
Earthquake lasted over 3 minute
Primary Effects
Economic
Factories and businesses destroyed or forced to close
Around 4.4 million households lost electricity
Approx. 120,000 buildings completely destroyed
Roads, railways, ports, and airports damaged
Environmental
Coastal farmland flooded with seawater
Large amounts of debris washed into the ocean
Buildings, vehicles and debris swept inland
Approx. 560 km² of land was flooded
Social
Approx. 2,500 people went missing
Around 6,000 people injured
Approx. 20,000 people died
Approx. 470,000 people evacuated from their homes
Secondary Effects
Economic
Damage to transport networks disrupted trade and supply chains
Total economic cost estimated at approx. $235 billion
Businesses and factories remained closed, causing unemployment and loss of income, and reducing production
Environmental
3 nuclear reactors suffered meltdowns
Radioactive materials released into the environment
Flooding caused loss of electrical power and cooling systems
Restrictions placed on some farming and fishing activities because of contamination concerns
Tsunami flooded the Fukushima nuclear power station
Social
Communities displaced, separating people from jobs, schools, and family
Approx. 110,000 people evacuated from areas around Fukushima nuclear power station
Thousands of people became homeless and needed temporary accommodation
Why Were The Impacts So Severe
Existing coastal defences were unable to withstand the full force of the tsunami
High population density in vulnerable coastal areas
Many coastal settlements were built on flat low-lying land, making them vulnerable to flooding
Fukushima nuclear power station located on the coast, exposing it to tsunami flooding
Tsunami
Key Point: Japan was well prepared for earthquakes, but its protection measures could not prevent the devastating effects of such an enormous tsunami
Powerful magnitude 9.0 released enormous amounts of energy
Immediate Responses
Emergency shelters set up to provide temporary accommodation, food, clean water, and medical supplies
Rescue teams searched for survivors and helped people trapped in debris
USA launched Operation Tomodachi, providing transport, supplies, and assistance
Residents near Fukushima power station evacuated to reduce radiation exposure
Government deployed 100,000 Japanese for rescue operations
Earthquake early-warning system issued alerts shortly after the first seismic waves were detected
Long-Term Responses
Tsunami monitoring and warning systems improved
Disaster preparedness plans and evacuation procedures were reviewed
Coastal defences rebuilt or strengthened
Decontamination and clean up operations took place around affected areas from Fukushima
Some communities relocated to higher ground to reduce future tsunami risk
Rebuilding and repairing of homes, roads, railways, ports and other infrastructure
Ten Figures to Memorise
20,000 → deaths
2,500 → missing
130km → distance offshore
470,000 → evacuated people
24km → focus depth
500km² → land flooded
9.0 → magnitude
40m → max. tsunami height
11th March 2011 → date
$235 billion → estimated economic cost