The 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami caused widespread damage in Japan. A 9.0 magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of Japan, generating massive tsunamis up to 40 meters high. Over 15,000 people were killed and infrastructure like roads, railways and power plants were severely damaged. The tsunamis also caused a nuclear accident at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant, resulting in radiation leaks. The disaster caused short term impacts like power outages and interruptions to transportation and communications across northern Japan.
1. 2011 Tōhoku Earthquake2011 Tōhoku Earthquake andand
Tsunami in JapanTsunami in Japan
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YVbTOgF2N90&feature=relate
2. Content
1. Basic Information
1.1 Earthquake
1.2 Tsunamis
2. Formation
2.1 Earthquake
2.2 Tsunamis
3. Short-term Impacts
4. The Japan Nuclear Crisis
5. Remedial Measures
6. Q & A
3. Basic information
Earthquake:
Date 11 March 2011
Time 14:46 JST
Epicenter East of the Oshika Peninsula of Tohoku, Japan
Magnitude 9.0
Max. intensity IX
Duration 6 minutes
Occurrence Convergence force between Pacific plate and North
American plate
Foreshocks 7
Aftershocks 1,235
Casualties 15,854 deaths, 26,992 injured, 3,155 people missing
Destroyed house 1,168,453
Economic loss
About US$ 122-235 billion (2.5%-4% of Japan
GDP)
9. Tsunami Formation
• Nears land
• Shallow water
• Wave height increases
• Waves pushed inland by water behind them
• Great energy
• Destructive
Formation of Tsunami
http://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=zA1wKF6zGoI&feature=bf_prev&list=PLD9DF609CFE10315B&lf=results_video
10. Fig.4 Japan's electricity distribution network
── Tōhoku Electric Power
── Kansai Electric Power
Short-term Impacts
Power shortage
•Damage of nuclear and conventional power plants
Around 4.4 million households were lack of
electricity
• Unable to share electricity
(∵ 2 different systems of national power
supply) (Fig.4)
Worsen the problem of insufficient
power supply
11. Dam failure
•Flooding
At least 1.5 million households had lost access to
water supplies
Fire accidents
•Break down of oil storage tanks
Short-term Impacts
Fig.5 Fire at the Cosmo Oil refinery in Ichihara
12. Short-term Impacts
Fig.6 Damaged utility pole in Ishinomaki
Interruption of Telecommunications
•Undersea cable systems were damaged
•On 11/3 , American broadcaster NPR was unable to
reach anyone in Sendai with working phone or Internet
13. Short-term Impacts
Interruption of Transportation
1. Train and railway services
•23 stations on 7 lines were washed away
(Fig.7,8), with damage or loss of track in
680 locations
•Near-paralysis ( 近乎癱瘓 )
(e.g. Tōhoku Expressway)
People are unable to go to work or
get home
Transportation of food, medicine and
fuel supply were hindered
Fig.7 Remains of Shinchi Station
Fig.8 Train washed away uphill
from Onagawa Station
14. Interruption of Transportation
2. Aviation
•A tsunami wave
flooded Sendai Airport
•Over 300 airlines were
canceled
Short-term Impacts
Fig.9 Before (above) and during (bottom)
the tsunami of Sendai Airport
15. Economic loss
1. Suspending of domestic industries
• Manufacturing industry (Sony, Toyota, etc.)
• Agriculture and fishery
• Logistic
2. Reconstruction
• Estimated at ¥10 trillion ($122 billion)
3. Decreased Exports
• High-tech electronics and components
Short-term Impacts
16. 4. Increased Imports
• Thermal coal and liquefied natural gas imports
• raw materials for reconstruction
5. Economy of India
• long term investment into India could suffer
since
Japan is a major source of foreign direct investment
into the country
Short-term Impacts
17. Short-term Impacts
Damage of Cultural Properties
•549 Cultural Properties were damaged or toppled
e.g. Stone monuments at the
UNESCO World Heritage Site:
Shrines and Temples of Nikkō
Fig.10 Damage to a traditional lantern
at Tokiwa shrine
Fig.11 Shrines and Temples of Nikkō before
the earthquake
18. Land subsidence
•Permanent
•More prone to flooding
during high tides
Short-term Impacts
Fig.12 Land subsidence and soil
liquefaction near an elevator shaft
*Soil liquefaction ( 土壤液化 )
= a saturated soil loses strength
and stiffness in response to an
applied stress, causing it to behave like a liquid
•In areas of reclaimed land around Tokyo
Sudden loss of support and structural damage,
including cracking of foundations
19. Basic Information of the Nuclear Station:
Name: Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant
Operator(s): Tokyo Electric Power Company
Commission date: March 26, 1971
Fig.13 Unit 1 before and after the explosion
The Japan Nuclear Crisis
20. The Japan Nuclear Crisis
Worsen the problem of
radioactivity release
Worsen the problem of
radioactivity release
Lack of electricityLack of electricity
Reactors of the nuclear station
become overheated
Reactors of the nuclear station
become overheated
Accumulation of gas and high temperatureAccumulation of gas and high temperature
Old design of Fukushima I cannot defend a huge tsunami and an earthquake
having a magnitude 7
Old design of Fukushima I cannot defend a huge tsunami and an earthquake
having a magnitude 7
Cooling system failed to operateCooling system failed to operate
Leakage of hydrogen gas
inside unit 1-4
Leakage of hydrogen gas
inside unit 1-4
Units 1, 2 and 3 automatically shutdown
and stop generating electricity
Units 1, 2 and 3 automatically shutdown
and stop generating electricity
EXPLOSION!EXPLOSION!
21. Source of Radioactivity Release
1. Water inside the reactors
turned into steam and rose in the atmosphere
2. Reaction tubes
high temperature cause it to melt and released
radiation to the place nearby
3. Seawater
pouring of seawater to lower melting speed of
reactors
22. Effect of the nuclear crisis -- Regional
Social
1.Casualties
•At least 2 TEPCO employees died from "disaster
conditions"
•45 patients died due to lack of food, water and medical
care
•14 senior citizens died
2. Public Health
•Over 160,000 people were screened for radiation
exposure
•30 workers conducting operations at the plant had
exposure levels greater than 100 mSv
•People may easily get cancer, born abnormal babies, and
gene mutation
23. 3. Relocation and Evacuation
• people living 20km around the station must leave their
home to other safer place. Till now, they cannot get back
home
• people living 20km-30km around the station were asked to
stay at home
Effect of the nuclear crisis -- Regional
24. Effect of the nuclear crisis -- Regional
Fig.13 Radioactivity around Fukushima
25. Environment Aspect
Environmental
1. Water contamination
• Tap water ( radioactive iodine, cesium, ruthenium,
tellurium contamination)
• Pipe tunnel water ( more than 1000 mSv radiation)
• Seawater ( iodine-131 which was the 7.5 million times
the standard value )
2. Air contamination
• Radioactivity release ( 43 µSv /h, i.e. a normal person
receive only 0.274µSv/h )
3. Marine ecology
• Alter marine ecology since water is contaminated
Effect of the nuclear crisis -- Regional
26. Economic
1. Food production
•Milk, agricultural product and seafood with radiation
higher than the standard cannot be sold
Food industries is hit
Effect of the nuclear crisis -- Regional
27. Environmental Aspect
Environmental
1. Air contamination
•In Hong Kong, level of iodine-131 and cesium-137 exceeds
the normal level*
•In the Northern America and Europe, some radioactive iodine-
131 was dissolved in the rainwater, radioactive sulphur is also
found in the air*
*it will not necessarily harm human
Diplomatic( 外交 )
1.China, South Korea, America and Russia were discontent
about the release of a total 11,500 tons of low-radioactive
wastewater into the Pacific Ocean
2.Global nuclear renaissance is blocked
3.Shortage of salt supply (e.g. Salt panic in Hong Kong)
Effect of the nuclear crisis -- International
28. Remedial measures
• Set up emergency management centre
• Send rescue team to the disaster area
• Establish 113 telemetry monitor ( 遙測監視器 ) in
Fukushima detect the radiation
• Stop people to enter nuclear power plant in
Fukushima avoid from receiving radiation
• Pour sea water inside reactors of nuclear plants
lower melting speed and temperature of the
reactors
• Increase capacity over railway gradually relieve
passenger congestion
