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Section A — TectonicHICPaper 1

Japan Earthquake & Tsunami 2011

Magnitude 9.0 · 11 March 2011 · Pacific plate subducted beneath North American plate · 10-metre tsunami · Fukushima nuclear crisis.

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9.0
Magnitude
18,000
Deaths
$235bn
Damage cost
500,000
Made homeless
4 mins
Earthquake duration
10m
Tsunami height
Key facts — from Seaford 2025–27 case study notes

Background & causes

  • Pacific (oceanic) plate subducted beneath the North American (continental) plate at a destructive plate boundary
  • 9.0 magnitude — so strong it shifted the Earth's axis and lasted 4 minutes
  • Triggered a 10-metre-high tsunami that devastated coastal communities
  • Japan is a HIC with advanced earthquake preparation systems

Primary impacts

  • Social: 4 million without electricity · 1.5 million without water · 15,899 deaths · 1,529 missing · 6,000+ injured
  • Economic: $235 billion total damage · 1 million+ buildings damaged · fishing industry severely impacted · businesses closed
  • Environmental: Fukushima dam burst · minor radiation leaks at nuclear power plant · widespread debris

Secondary impacts

  • 18,000 deaths total (many from tsunami, not earthquake)
  • 500,000 people made homeless
  • Fukushima nuclear plant explosions caused by tsunami — ongoing contamination concern
  • Long-term radiation evacuation zones

HIC responses — why Japan coped better

  • Early warning system gave 60 seconds of warning before shaking
  • Earthquake-resistant buildings designed to flex and absorb shock
  • Regular earthquake drills meant population knew what to do
  • Rapid government emergency response · military deployed quickly
  • $235 billion available for recovery — far beyond Nepal's capacity
Exam questions — 3 questions · 12 marks
Geography exam tip: Always use named examples with specific data. "An earthquake in Nepal" scores fewer marks than "The 2015 Nepal earthquake (magnitude 7.9, 9,000 deaths)." Learn the statistics on this page.
1 markPlate boundary

What type of plate boundary caused the Japan 2011 earthquake?

A Constructive — two plates moving apart
B Conservative — two plates sliding past each other
C Destructive — oceanic Pacific plate subducted beneath continental North American plate
D Collision — two continental plates pushing together
4 marksHIC response advantages

Explain why Japan was able to respond more effectively to the 2011 earthquake than Nepal responded to its 2015 earthquake. Use specific evidence. (4 marks)

Hint: Contrast specific HIC advantages against LIC limitations. Use evidence from both countries.
+40 XP
4 marksEvaluate responses

Assess the effectiveness of the responses to the Japan 2011 earthquake and tsunami. (4 marks)

Hint: Evaluate means giving positives AND limitations of the response, then reaching a conclusion.
+40 XP

Case study complete! 🎉

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