Earthquake

• Earthquake in Tohoku, Japan

  11th March 2011
• The earthquake was the most powerful recorded earthquake in Japan's history and was the costliest natural disaster in history
• A huge tsunami followed the earthquake, devastating the east coast of Japan, including the nuclear meltdown in Fukushima
• Japan

  Developed country, GDP of 4.97 trillion USD (2018)
• Earthquake in Nepal

  25th April 2015
• Depth of earthquake

  15km below the surface
• Huge avalanches and landslides were triggered in the Himalayas which run through Nepal
• Damage from the earthquake extended hundreds of kilometres into Pakistan, Tibet and India
• Nepal

  Developing country, GDP of 29.04 billion USD (2018)
• Damage and deaths (around 700 people) from the earthquake itself were low despite the large magnitude of the earthquake
• Estimated cost of earthquake

  USD$235 billion - the costliest natural disaster in history
• Around 30 homes and buildings were destroyed and 1000 were damaged
• Two nuclear power stations suffered fractures, causing their shut down and loss of power
• An oil refinery was set on fire due to damaged gas pipes
• Roads and railways were badly damaged, including the Tohoku motorway
• The Fujinuma Dam failed and collapsed after the earthquake, washing away 5 houses and killing at least 4 people
• Minor liquefaction of the ground caused by shaking, leading to damage of roads and infrastructure
• A huge tsunami with waves up to 40 metres (131ft) high in some places devastated the eastern coast of Japan following the earthquake
• 15,900 people died, 2600 missing, and 6150 were left injured, mainly due to the tsunami
• 450,000 people were left homeless and many more were left without a job after 120,000 buildings were completely destroyed
• Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant was very badly damaged. The plant suffered nuclear meltdowns and explosions, causing radioactive contamination in the area and a mass evacuation. 4 years later people were still not allowed to return to the area surrounding the power plant
• 9,000 killed and 20,000 injured
• 8 million people affected (⅓ of Nepal's population)
• An estimated 3 million people left homeless after homes were destroyed
• 7,000 schools destroyed, and 50% of all shops destroyed, leading to food and supply shortages
• Power, water and communications were severely affected
• 1.4 million people were urgently in need of food, water and shelter
• The cost of damage was estimated at around USD$5 billion
• Many historical sites and landmarks were damaged or destroyed
• Landslides and avalanches triggered by the ground shaking, causing widespread damage to infrastructure, blocking roads and trapping people under snow and rubble
• The avalanches on Mount Everest killed at least 19 people, and avalanches elsewhere left hundreds missing
• Landslides blocked rivers. For example, the Kali Gandaki River was blocked by a landslide, and many people had to be evacuated incase of flooding
• There was no tsunami as the earthquake started on land
• Tsunami warnings were issued by the Japan Meteorological Agency three minutes after the earthquake. Modelling and forecasting technology allowed scientists to predict where the tsunami would hit after the earthquake
• Within hours of the tsunami hitting the coast, rescue workers and around 100,000 members of the Japan Self-Defence Force were dispatched to help in the search and rescue operations
• Japan received help from the US military, and international search and rescue teams were sent from New Zealand, Australia, South Korea, China and India
• Hundreds of thousands of people who had lost their home or were evacuated used temporary shelters set up in schools and other public buildings
• A large number of evacuees came from the exclusion zone surrounding the Fukushima nuclear power plant. Many people were quickly put into temporary accommodation or relocated to other areas
• After the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear meltdown, those who were in the area had their radiation levels checked and health monitored to ensure they did not receive dangerous exposure to radiation. Many evacuees were given iodine tablets to stop radiation poisoning
• For the first 24-hours after the incident, there was no aid sent to the affected area in Nepal. The isolated location and lack of infrastructure made it difficult to access the affected areas