Japan Earthquake 2011

• One of the top 5 earthquakes since recording began in 1990, lasted for 6 minutes
• Since 2000, 23 earthquakes of 70 MW have occurred, so people are used to it
• Three conurbations including Tokyo are densely populated and vulnerable to tsunamis
• Tsunami travelled up to 10km inland in places, and waves of up to 2.4 m affected the West Coast of the USA, costing USD 10 million
• Honshu Island moved 2.4 m east, and earth shifted on its axis by 10-25 cm
• Tsunami waves reached Antarctica, breaking off 125 km squared of ice as giant icebergs
• 16k deaths, 6k injuries, 100k children separated from families, 4.4 million households lost electricity
• 23 train stations swept away or damaged, reconstruction USD 200 billion up to 5x that amount
• Tsunami wave of 1.5m overwhelmed Midway Atoll and 110k nesting birds drowned
• Japanese Meteorological Agency provides information and warnings, involves the government and medical organisations
• Fire proofing older wooden buildings which are common in old districts
• Land-use zoning for open spaces where people can assemble after an earthquake
• PM set up emergency command centre in Tokyo, 100k self-defence force members involved
• 10 year timeline of recovery set for cleaning debris, and restoring infrastructure and housing, showing the high economic development of the country
• People still live here because Japan has good management measures