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Tōhoku Earthquake
Japan 11th March 2011
Population and Economy
• 126,475,664 (July 2011 est.) 10th Largest Population
Source: (World Factbook)
• The economy of Japan, a free market economy, is the third largest
in terms of Gross Domestic Product Purchasing Power Parity(PPP)
in the world after the United States and the People's Republic of
China. $4.31 trillion(2010 est.)
Source: (World Factbook)
• Purchasing Power Parity – “An economic theory that estimates the
amount of adjustment needed on the exchange rate between
countries in order for the exchange to be equivalent to each
currency's purchasing power.”
Source;http://www.investopedia.com/terms/p/ppp.asp#ixzz1kMP4RiWY
Preparation for the hazard
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The government has held big awareness campaigns. For
example all school children are being trained what to do.
The have adopted strict buildings code, for example to have
shock absorbers
Trains slow down as an earthquake starts
TV channels switch to live feed of the situation, which informs
the public of risks
They have warning systems, private or public.
Constructed special defenses. Building concrete seawalls
along the coast.
Prepared with earthquake emergency kits, including dry
rations, drinking water, basic medical supplies.
Managed to shut down power plants as soon as the
earthquake started.
Vulnerability of the population
• Japan is considered to be a more economically
developed country.(MEDC)
• 3rd richest country in terms of GDP PPP
• The literacy rate in Japan is 99%
• A broad knowledge of technology
Perception of the population to the
hazard
• The have a neutral attitude towards the
hazard
• Do their best to develop new methods to try
prevent maximum effects of the earthquake.
• “Always get back up”
Probability of the hazard in the region
Source:
http://vulcan.wr.usgs.gov/Glossary/Pla
teTectonics/Maps/map_plate_tectonic
s_world.html
Source:
http://montessorimuddle.org/201
1/03/11/plate-tectonics-and-theearthquake-in-japan/
Source: http://msnucleus.org/membership/html/k6/rc/rocks/5/rcr5_1a.html
Occurrence of the hazard in the past
• Over 60 earthquakes(of a higher magnitude
than 7 on the Richter scale) since November
29, 684(Gregorian Calender)
What has the community and government
done in the past to reduce the risk and
damage of a potential disaster
• Improving the infrastructure(shock absorbing
buildings)
• Educating the population what to do if the hazard
occurs
• http://live-in-japan.com/docs/jisin19f.pdf
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earthquake_engineering
Spatial extent of the disaster
Magnitude,Duration
• Magnitude: 9 on the
Richter Scale
• Duration: 6 Minutes
Causes of the disaster
• Japan sits under three plates.
• Which makes it vulnerable to receiving
earthquakes
Impacts of the disaster
• Destruction of few buildings
• Destruction of the nuclear power plant,
leading to long-term hazards.
• 380,000 homes were destroyed
• Radioactive leakage
• Only one hospital functioning in a whole
region of Sekunami.
• Tsunami
Responses to the disaster
• 128 countries and 33 international organizations had
offered assistance to Japan
Red cross (international):
• Distributed 132thousand blankets
• 183 thousand pieces of clothes
• Thousands of emergency relief + sleeping kits
• Elderly patients were seen as a priority as they
mostly live alone
• Government/Private aid campaigns have been
organized to offer money/support
National response
• Thousands of temporary houses built by
government to ease pressure on evacuating
centres
• Water tanks placed for sanitary use
• Accept foreign aid from other countries(Eg. US
military)
Global Medic
• Worked in cooperation with Hope international
development agency (local)
• 400 thousands people in evacuation centres that
are currently homeless
• Water purification systems in remote
communities
• Transport networks for material aid (e.g. food,
sanitary materials.)
• Inflatable hospitals
The Future
• Seismic technology
• Risk communication (available to the public
use)
• Debate about having nuclear power plants in
Japan
• Continue as they were proceeding before