The Japanese Earthquake and Consequent Tsunami

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Japan – Fukushima

Introduction

On March 11, 2011 at 2:46 PM, Japanese time, an 8.9 magnitude earthquake hits, but was later upgraded to a 9.0 magnitude earthquake, happens 231 miles northeast of Tokyo, Japan, at a depth of 15.2 miles. The pacific tsunami-warning centre sends out a warning to Japan all the way to The United States of America. Around an hour later after the earthquake the waves hits. The waves got up to 30ft high when they hit the Japanese coast. The waves caused widespread devastation washing away cars like they were sticks, collapsing buildings and destroying roads and highways.

Causes

This Tsunami costed the Japanese government 25 trillion yen ($300 billion) dollars. The earthquake happened because of the thrust faulting on or around the subduction zone interface plate boundary between the pacific and North American plates. According to scientists who has look at this disaster Japan has shifted 8 feet (2.4 meters) East towards North America. The earthquake has also caused the earth to move between 4 and 6.5 (10–16cm) inches on its axis. This earthquake caused the tsunami because when the earthquake happened it suddenly shifted the sea floor in vertical motion, which moved the water Colum above it. This process started a series of giant waves called a tsunami.

Impacts

For the Japanese government this was the worst thing that could happen to them in the way that they lost a lot of citizens but also financially. This effected not only the Japanese government with damage costs but also the manufacturing business, exporting business and the insurance business. The Insurance companies claims ran into the billions. The manufacturing business was suspended along with car exports.

March 12, 2011, on th...

... middle of paper ...

...Hawaii and runs 24/7. If this technology were working when this tsunami happened some countries would of been too close and it the technology would not have enough time to work and send out a warning signal.

Bibliography

Japan – Fukushima

http://edition.cnn.com/2013/07/17/world/asia/japan-earthquake---tsunami-fast-facts/

http://www.geography.org.uk/resources/japantsunami/

http://www.livescience.com/13187-japan-earthquake-tsunami-science-faq.html

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/japan/9920042/Tsunami-two-years-on-Japan-finally-gets-warning-system-that-would-have-saved-hundreds-of-lives.html

Thailand – Phuket

http://www.travelphuket.com/2004-boxing-day-tsunami.html

http://www.gns.cri.nz/Home/Our-Science/Natural-Hazards/Tsunami/2004-Boxing-Day-Tsunami#what

http://www.slideshare.net/PLANETGE0GRAPHY/indian-ocean-tsunami-case-study

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