Some topics related to 2011 Tohoku Pacific
2011 Tohoku‐Pacific Ocean Earthquake
Muneo Hori
Riki Honda
U i fT k
Univ. of Tokyo
2011/03/22 14:46 Mw=9.0
More than 20,000 were killed or missing.
More than 300,000 evacuated.
http://outreach.eri.u‐tokyo.ac.jp/eqvolc/201103_tohoku/#Inversion
( with some modification by R. Honda.)
First Tsunami Warning by JMA
First Tsunami Warning by JMA
JMA J
JMA: Japan Meteorological Agency
M
l i lA
■could be more than 3 m
■could
be more than 3 m
■could be as high as 2 m
■less than 0.5 m
Warning was issued at 2003/Mar/11 14 49
2003/Mar/11, 14:49 only 3minutes after the EQ
• All TV programs were replace by this information.
information
•Magnitude was estimated as 7.9
•Expected height of tsunami is categorized as 3m/4m/6m/8m/10m
categorized as 3m/4m/6m/8m/10m or higher. But trace of higher tsunami is reported.
 Many did evacuate as planned, but they were hit by tsunami at shelters. http://www.jma.go.jp/jp/tsunami/focus
ttp://
.j a.go.jp/jp/tsu a / ocus_0
04_20110311145000.html
0 03
5000. t
Structural damage
Structural damage
Bridge piers of Tohoku Shinkansen Line in Sendai.
g p
(No girder of Tohoku Shinkansen fell to the ground.) Destructive ground motion damaged some piers.
Destructive ground motion damaged some piers.
Bridge piers damaged in the 2003 South Sanriku Eq .(M=7.1) and retrofitted with steel, were not (seemingly) damaged by this damaged. http://wwwcatfish.dpri.kyoto‐u.ac.jp/~goto/eq/20110311/report.html
(Prof. Takahashi and Prof. Goto, DPRI, Kyoto Univ.)
Damage to road structures
Damage to road structures
Damage becomes serious
when tsunami is related..
Damage in Tokyo Metropolitan area was serious but not devastating Liquefaction
devastating. Liquefaction occurred in artificial land area. Pictures from the tentative report of Sendai Branch, Ministry of Construction.
Tsunami Damage
Tsunami Damage
• Too severe to carry out field survey and report.
– Seriously damaged areas are not ready to accept y
g
y
p
researchers.
• Information
Information will become available at the will become available at the
website of Japan Society of Civil Engineers:
– http://www.coastal.jp/tsunami2011/
– http://www.coastal.jp/ttjt/ [in Japanese]
Concern about Fukushima Daiichi Plant
Concern about Fukushima Daiichi Plant
– It is reported that it is under critical condition. It is reported that it is under critical condition.
– Government provides certain information.
• Ministry of Education monitors the radioactivity level in all y
y
prefectures of Japan, etc. – No panic.
• People trust information and behave rationally.
• People in Tokyo are leading ((relatively) ordinary life.
y)
y
Radioactivity level in Tokyo
Radioactivity level in Tokyo
– … but with serious concern
• Serious state of the Plant.
• Shortage of electricity supply f
expected for years.
• Contamination of food, water and land.
normal level range
http://www.mext.go.jp