Tectonics

• What date was the Fukushima earthquake?

  11 March 2011
• What had happened 2 days before?

  Earthquake tremors of 7.2
• How strong was the earthquake?

  9.0, world's 5th largest since 1900
• Where was the epicentre of the earthquake?

  24km deep and 72km off the coat of Sendai
• Which two plates were colliding?

  Pacific plate subjecting under the Okhotsk plate
• What type of plate boundary was it?

  Ocean-Ocean convergent
• How many aftershocks did the region experience?

  420 5 weeks after the disaster measuring more than 5.0
• What factors contributed to the high vulnerability in the area?


  - Off Sendai there is old oceanic crust making it cooler and denser. Its was believed that it was ready to slide into the mantle so only small earthquakes would happen.

  - Pacific plate often warps instead of slides into the mantle so strain builds

  - The cost is ragged meaning there are many inlays for the waves energy to focus on

  - 70% of Japan in mountainous meaning Urban and industrial areas are in low lying regions

  - Soft reclaimed land suffered liquefaction
• How far was sediment pushed inland?

  5km
• How far did the tsunami move the island of Japan?

  2.4m east
• What damage was caused to the nuclear power station?


  All reactors were damaged and the build up of hydrogen caused an explosion, leading to fires and the escape of radioactive material
• What was the final death toll

  20000 with 3000 not accounted for
• Which city was hit the hardest?

  Otsuchi - 10.7% of people died
• What short term economic effects were there?


  Disruption to the supply chain. However, some companies got up an running in 6 months which shows Japans resilient economy
• How many buildings were destroyed or damaged?

  300000 destroyed and >1 million damaged
• What percentage of all structures in Ishinomaki (port town) were destroyed?

  72.6%
• How many people had to be evacuated due to radiation

  80000 in a 12-mile radius
• Why did the earthquake preparations fail?


  - Protection system were only able to cope with a 8.0 earthquake

  - Frequent aftershocks confused the system

  - Risk mapping did now allow fo seismic waves to travel through fault systems
• What tsunami preparations were there?

  - 2km long, 8km high, 20m think, $1.4 billion tsunami wall.

  - Tsunami was only expected to be 4-5m high
• Why did the tsunami preparations fail?

  The wall gave the region a false sense of security
• One year on how many people were still displaced?

  330000 living in temporary accommodation with 500 more in evacuation centres
• How much waste was created and cleared 1 year after the disaster?

  25 million tons with 5% being cleared and 72% being held in temporary sites meaning March 2014 goal to finish all disposal is unrealistic
• What effect did the Fukushima earthquake have on the energy industry?


  - All 54 nuclear power stations closed for maintenance and, as they supplied 30% of the countries energy, meant Japan had to import more fossil fuels

  - The sales of solar cells have increased by 30% since
• What type of plate boundary was it?

  Convergent, continental-continental
• Which two plates collided?

  Indian plate and Eurasian plate
• What date was the event?

  25 April 2015
• How strong was the earthquake?

  7.8 magnitude with high frequency shaking 15 km below the surface
• How many aftershocks were there?

  459
• Where was the earthquake?

  Gorkha District, 78km North-West of Kathmandu
• What was Nepals HDI before the event?

  0.558 (144/186)
• What conditions made the area more vulnerable?


  - Political unrest

  - Likely earthquake due to Himalayan regions

  - Government personal were understaffed

  - High population density
• How much is it estimated the earthquake cost?

  $5.2 billion
• How many people died and were injured

  9000 dead with 223000 injured
• How many homes were destroyed or damaged

  60200 destroyed and 285000 damaged
• How many landslides had taken place by the end of the monsoon season

  22500
• How many countries gave national aid?

  More than 55, with India giving $1 billion
• How much aid was provided form the UN?

  $15 million
• How many people lost electricity?

  25%
• Which gender was killed more?

  Women because it happened during the middle of the day and a larger percentage were inside their houses
• When enforcements were planned to be put in place to mitigate hazard?

  Regulations against poor buildings and ones that a re earthquake safe