Japan Earthquake Friday

March 11 2011

The full scale: before and after in Sendai

The earthquake occurred 130 km (80 miles) east of Sendai

and 373 km (231 miles) northeast of Tokyo.

Images courtesy of the US Geological Survey

Magnitude 9.0 NEAR THE EAST COAST OF HONSHU, JAPANMagnitude 9.0 NEAR THE EAST COAST OF HONSHU, JAPANFriday, March 11, 2011 at 05:46:23 UTC Friday, March 11, 2011 at 05:46:23 UTC

The earthquake occurred 130 km (80 miles) east of Sendai

and 373 km (231 miles) northeast of Tokyo.

Images courtesy of the US Geological Survey

Magnitude 9.0 NEAR THE EAST COAST OF HONSHU, JAPANMagnitude 9.0 NEAR THE EAST COAST OF HONSHU, JAPANFriday, March 11, 2011 at 05:46:23 UTC Friday, March 11, 2011 at 05:46:23 UTC

The Tohoku Quake: 2:46 PM Local Time, 3/11/2011

• The tragedy in Japan started with an earthquake. At 2:46 PM on April 11th, 2011, a 9.0 magnitude earthquake occurred at 38.322 degrees N, 142.369 degrees E, at a depth of 19.9 miles, near the east coast of Honshu Island.

• The epicenter of that submarine quake was:

80 miles East of Sendai, Honshu (population 1 million+)

109 miles East of Yamagata, Honshu109 miles East North East of Fukushima, Honshu231 miles Northeast of Tokyo (population 13

million+)

See: http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/eqinthenews/2011/usc0001xgp/

Magnitude 9.0 NEAR THE EAST COAST OF HONSHU, JAPANMagnitude 9.0 NEAR THE EAST COAST OF HONSHU, JAPANFriday, March 11, 2011 at 05:46:23 UTC Friday, March 11, 2011 at 05:46:23 UTC

This is one of the largest earthquakes that Japan has ever experienced.

. USGS

Part of houses swallowed by

tsunami burn in Sendai, Miyagi

Prefecture (state) after Japan was

struck by a strong earthquake off its

northeastern coast Friday, March 11,

2011.

New York Times

In downtown Tokyo, large buildings shook violently. Elsewhere severe flooding occurred due to a tsunami

generated by the earthquake.

CNN reported “The quake rattled buildings and toppled cars off bridges and into waters underneath. Waves of debris flowed like lava across farmland, pushing boats, houses and trailers toward highways.”

A number of fires broke out including one at an oil refinery which was burning out of control.

Giant fireballs rise from a burning oil refinery in Ichihara, Chiba Prefecture (state) after Japan was struck by a strong earthquake off its northeastern coast Friday, March 11, 2011.

Los Angeles Times

Fires after earthquakes are often caused by broken gas pipelines Fires after earthquakes are often caused by broken gas pipelines

It Was the 4It Was the 4thth or 5 or 5thth Largest Quake Since Largest Quake Since 19001900 At magnitude 9.0, the Tohoku earthquake was the At magnitude 9.0, the Tohoku earthquake was the

largest quake in Japan since Japan began tracking largest quake in Japan since Japan began tracking earthquakes 130 years ago, and the 4earthquakes 130 years ago, and the 4thth or 5 or 5thth largest largest quake worldwide since 1900. Some other extremely quake worldwide since 1900. Some other extremely serious earthquakes:serious earthquakes:

-- 1960 Valdivia Chile Earthquake (magnitude 9.5)-- 1960 Valdivia Chile Earthquake (magnitude 9.5)-- 1964 Prince William Sound Alaska Earthquake (9.2)-- 1964 Prince William Sound Alaska Earthquake (9.2)-- 2004 Indian Ocean Earthquake (9.1-9.3 (est.))-- 2004 Indian Ocean Earthquake (9.1-9.3 (est.))-- 1952 Kamchatka Earthquake, USSR (9.0)-- 1952 Kamchatka Earthquake, USSR (9.0)-- 1833 Sumatra, Indonesia Earthquake (8.8-9.2 -- 1833 Sumatra, Indonesia Earthquake (8.8-9.2 (est.))(est.))-- 1906 Ecuador-Colombia Earthquake (8.8)-- 1906 Ecuador-Colombia Earthquake (8.8)-- 2010 Chile Earthquake (8.8)-- 2010 Chile Earthquake (8.8)-- 1700 Cascadia Earthquake (8.7-9.2 (est.)) -- 1700 Cascadia Earthquake (8.7-9.2 (est.)) -- 1730 Valparaiso, Chile, Earthquake (8.8-9.0 (est.)-- 1730 Valparaiso, Chile, Earthquake (8.8-9.0 (est.)

See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lists_of_earthquakesSee http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lists_of_earthquakes

Danger from the nuclear power station damaged by the earthquake

Houses and debris burn near Sendai Airport.

Facade of a damaged apartment building in central Tokyo's Higashi-Azabu district.

Facade of a damaged apartment building in central Tokyo's Higashi-Azabu district.

Natural-gas-storage tanks burn at a facility in Chiba Prefecture, near Tokyo.

A bicycle lies under rubble in central Tokyo.

Stranded people take a rest at a hotel lobby after subway and train were suspended after an earthquake, in Tokyo.

People evacuated and the injured in emergency shelters and hospitals

Ordinary people and rescuers search amongst the debris

Drowned towns and radiation leaks –

1. More than 1,700 people officially dead or missing, with many more unaccounted for, including 9,500 people in one town.

2. Radiation leaks from a damaged nuclear plant after an explosion blows off the roof, raising fears of a meltdown at the nuclear power station north of Tokyo.

3. Three workers suffer radiation exposure near Fukushima nuclear plant.

4. Several large towns and cities are more than a third submerged by waters and debris.

5. Some 215,000 people living in government shelters. 6. Four million people without power, a million with no water. 7. Experts say the total insured loss could be up to $15bn.

Globally, this is the 5th largest earthquake since 1900 (or 4th depends on M).

Chile 1960

Alaska 1964

Sumatra 2004

Chile 2010

Japan 2011Russia 1952

Ecuador 1906Alaska 1965

Tsunami waves swept away houses and cars in northern Japan and pushed ships aground.

The tsunami waves traveled far inland, the wave of debris racing across the farmland, carrying boats and houses with it.

Houses were washed away by tsunami in Sendai, Miyagi Prefecture in eastern Japan, after Japan was struck by a magnitude 9.0 earthquake off the northeastern coast.

New York Times

The earthquake caused some damage – The earthquake caused some damage – but the tsunami was devastatingbut the tsunami was devastating

The tsunami, seen crashing into homes in Natori, Miyagi prefecture.

AP

Tsunami (harbor wave)Seismic sea waves (NOT tidal waves)

Caused by processes that abruptly move large volumes of ocean water:

earthquake submarine volcanic eruption

coastal/submarine landslide or rockfall

extraterrestrial impact

How do EQ cause tsunami?How do EQ cause tsunami?

http://geology.com/articles/tsunami-geology.shtml

Tsunami causesTsunami causes Unless there is an underwater landslide, strike-

slip EQ WILL NOT cause tsunami Most tsunami generated by subduction zones

• Chile Alaska Japan

Cascadia Philippines Caribbean

New Zealand

What caused the tsunami and why was it so deadly?

Your Task:

Design your own

diagram to explain

what causes a

tsunami and why

tsunamis are so

deadly

Tsunami wavelength• Long wavelengths (over 100 km)• Periods longer than 1 hour

316,800 ft = 60 miles

Tsunami wave speedTsunami wave speed

Travel at high speeds :Travel at high speeds :400 to 500 mph (~200 yards/sec)400 to 500 mph (~200 yards/sec)

Alaska to CA 4 to 7 hrsAlaska to CA 4 to 7 hrs Alaska to Hawaii 4 to 6 hrsAlaska to Hawaii 4 to 6 hrs Chile to Hawaii 14 to 15 hrsChile to Hawaii 14 to 15 hrs Chile to Japan 22 to 33 hrsChile to Japan 22 to 33 hrs

Tsunamis – Tidal Tsunamis – Tidal WavesWaves

Nearby the earthquake there are only minutes to evacuate. However, in many other regions there is advance warning.A tsunami map shows projected travel times for the Pacific Ocean. This map indicates forecasted times only, not that a wave traveling those distances has actually been observed.. NOAA

Projected travel times for the arrival of Projected travel times for the arrival of the the

tsunami waves across the Pacifictsunami waves across the Pacific

Tsunami nears shoreTsunami nears shore

As wave gets into shallow water bottom of As wave gets into shallow water bottom of wave drags along ocean floorwave drags along ocean floor

Top of wave still moving fast: can cause Top of wave still moving fast: can cause cresting of wave, and breaking onto shorecresting of wave, and breaking onto shore

Tsunami run-upTsunami run-up Run-up = measurement of height of water

onshore observed above a reference sea level Generally don’t get big gigantic wave Water comes as a fast moving rise in tide that

rapidly moves inland NOT JUST ONE WAVE…multiple waves

coming in about ½ hour or so apart See tsunami wave simulator

http://www.seed.slb.com/en/scictr/watch/living_planet/tsunami_wave/index.htm

Damage due to tsunamiDamage due to tsunami

Waves often full of debris (trees, cars, Waves often full of debris (trees, cars, pieces of wood etc.)pieces of wood etc.)

As the wave recedes, the debris drags As the wave recedes, the debris drags more stuff with itmore stuff with it

Can recede as much as a km out to sea, Can recede as much as a km out to sea, leaving shoreline empty with flopping leaving shoreline empty with flopping fish, boats, etc. on the bottomfish, boats, etc. on the bottom

The Tsunami hits

Loss of Life and Property Damage

• The dead and missing now number 28,232,* and that number is still increasing. An additional 4,916 were injured by the disasters in Japan. Nearly 60,000 pieces of property were completely destroyed, and over 158,000 were partially damaged.

• For comparison, 4,081 people died from Hurricane Katrina, and 2,976 people died from the attacks on 9/11.

* National Police Agency of Japan, Emergency Disaster Countermeasures Headquarters, April 14th, 2011, 7:00PMhttp://www.npa.go.jp/archive/keibi/biki/index_e.htm

The Most Expensive Natural Disasters

• Emerging estimates are that this earthquake and resulting tsunami will be the most expensive natural disasters in history.

• The World Bank released an early estimate* that damage might reach $235 billion, but the Japanese Cabinet Office has mentioned costs of up to 25 trillion yen** ($309 billion)… and those costs do not include lost economic productivity due to power outages, or the broader impact of the nuclear crisis.

• Hurricane Katrina, for comparison, cost an estimates $81 billion.

* http://siteresources.worldbank.org/INTEAPHALFYEARLYUPDATE/Resources/550192-1300567391916/EAP_Update_March2011_japan.pdf

** http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/cae69a7523db45408eeb2b3a98c0c9c5/Article_2011-03-23-AS-Japan-Earthquake-Economy/id-b7f626429b4a4900bfb1731387d50e7f

Boats are swept by a wave after a tsunami and earthquake in Asahikawa city in Japan on Friday. The biggest earthquake to hit Japan since records began 140 years ago struck the northeast coast on Friday, triggering a tsunami that swept away everything in its path, including houses, ships, cars and farm buildings on fire.

Streets are flooded after a tsunami and earthquake in Kesennuma city, Miyagi Prefecture, Japan.

The oncoming tsunami strikes the coast in Natori City, Miyagi Prefecture, northeastern Japan on Friday. The biggest earthquake to hit Japan in 140 years struck the northeast coast on Friday, triggering a tsunami that swept away everything in its path, including houses, cars and farm buildings on fire. A tsunami warning has been issued for the entire Pacific basin except for the mainland United States and Canada following a huge earthquake that hit Japan on Friday, the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said.

A fire burns at a passenger terminal at Sendai Airport after the airport was swamped by a tsunami in northeastern Japan in the wake of a major earthquake.

Effects of the Tsunami

Effects: The day after in Kesennuma City, Miyagi (the worst hit area)

The effects: buildings have been destroyed, dragged around and

destroyed, whilst people are in shock

Responses: The emergency services are trained to deal with the effects of

earthquakes but were not prepared for anything on this scale

Amazing stories - man rescued after his house has been dragged 10 miles out to

sea by the returning water