japan (tohoku) earthquake 2011 guide eng 30mar2011

7/28/2019 Japan (Tohoku) Earthquake 2011 Guide Eng 30Mar2011

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Japan (Tohoku) Earthquake and Tsunami 2011

Learning and Teaching Guide for Geography Teachers

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Tohoku Earthquake11-3-2011Magnitude: 9


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Figure 1 Northeast coastal area of Honshu is a famous tourist attraction of Japan before the Tohoku

Earthquake in 2011

At 14:46 (Japan time) of 11 March 2011, a cataclysmic 9-magnitude earthquake hit the

northeast coast of Honshu, Japan. The hypocenter is about 130 km off the east coast of Ojika

Peninsula of Tohoku, which is very close to Sendai, a large city in northeast Honshu. The

earthquake was so powerful that it shifted the earth axis and made it spin a little faster.

Minutes after the occurrence of the 9-magnitude earthquake, destructive tsunami waves

of about 10m high struck the northeast coast of Honshu, leading to massive destruction of the

region and high casualty. The tsunami triggered by the Tohoku Earthquake even reached

many other countries on the eastern side of the Pacific Ocean several hours later.

Many areas in Japan were set ablaze after this terrible earthquake. Even more disastrous

was that the earthquake triggered the Fukushima I nuclear accidents, which was the most

destructive nuclear power incidents after the Chernobyl disaster in 1986. It included a series

of ongoing equipment failures in the nuclear power station and the release of large amount of

radioactivity.

According to news report, volcanic activities were also found in other parts of Japan afew days after the occurrence of the Tohoku earthquake. Volcanic activities, with smoke and

ash reaching 4,000m high, was found at Volcano Shinmoedake ( ) of Kyushu on 13

March 2011. In Honshu, earthquakes hit the region of Mt. Fuji a few days after the Tohoku

Earthquake (aftershocks) and some Japanese worried that this would cause Mt. Fuji to

become active again.

This tragedy is a rich and appropriate case study for Hong Kong students to study

various issues in the geography curricula. In the following pages, some suggestions were

highlighted for teachers consideration to include this case into their teaching plans.

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(A) Syllabuses for Secondary Schools Geography (Secondary 1-3) (1998)

The following two issues in this curriculum are especially relevant to the case study of

Tohoku Earthquake 2011:

1. Secondary TwoThe Unstable Earth

Guiding Questions Explanatory Notes Concepts

Why is our Earth unstable?

What makes up the Earth crust?

Where are the global volcanic and

earthquake belts?

What are the causes of

earthquakes and volcanic

eruptions?

Earths crust and plate

movement

Causes of earthquakes and

volcanic eruptions-

interaction of plates

Distribution of global

earthquake and volcanic

belts

Plate tectonics

Earthquake and

volcanic belts

Spatial

association

Why do so many people still live in the

unstable areas?

What are the consequences of


eruptions?

Why do people still live in these

unstable areas?

Hazardous effects of


eruptions

Reasons for people living in

unstable areas

Hazards

Human

response and

adjustments to

hazards

Are they making the right choice?

What can be done to minimize the

negative impacts of earthquakes

and volcanic eruptions?

Is it wise to live in the unstable

areas?

Measures taken to reduce

losses

Factors affecting mans

choice

Human

modification of

the environment

Choice

Perception

Besides studying about plate tectonics and earthquakes, the case study also enables

junior form geography students to re-consider the actual cost of nuclear power and whether it

should be one of our choice of power.

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2. Secondary 3Struggle for power resources


Is nuclear power a possible way out?

What are the advantages anddisadvantages of using nuclear

power?

Should our country (China)

develop nuclear power?

Pros and cons of developing

nuclear power Conflict between

development and

environmental conservation

Development

andconservation

conflict

(B) Geography Curriculum Guide (Secondary 1-3) (2010)

Similarly, two issues in the revised Geography Curriculum Guide of S1-3 (which will be

implemented in 2012) are relevant to the case study of Tohoku Earthquake 2011.

1. Living with Natural HazardsAre we better equipped than the others?

Guiding Questions Knowledge

Why does our land shake violently?

What are the causes and effects of

earthquakes?

How do people in the world prepare for and

respond to earthquake?

The global distribution of earthquakes and

its relationship with plate boundaries

The primary and secondary damages

caused by earthquakes

Preventive (e.g. early warning, education,

shelter) and remedial (e.g. emergency aid,

improving prediction) measures to reduce to

negative effects of earthquakes

A comparison of the impacts of natural

hazards and the respective preventive and

remedial measures adopted by the more

developed and the less developed regions Reasons for the people of the less

developed regions being more vulnerable to

natural hazards than those living in more

developed regions

Reasons for people choose to stay in, or are

unable to move away from hostile areas

affected by natural hazards

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2. Scramble for Energy

Guiding Questions Knowledge

Why do we struggle for energy resources? What are the major types of energy

resources of the world? Where can they be

found?

Major types of energy resources of theworld: renewable and non-renewable

resources

What alternatives do we have?

Is nuclear power a possible way out?

The pros and cons of using nuclear power

and its increasing role in future energy

supply

(C) Geography Curriculum and Assessment Guide (Secondary 4-6) (2007)

In senior secondary Geography, teachers can use the case study in teaching of the issue

Opportunities and RisksIs it rational to live in hazard-prone areas?. The whole issue is

about plate tectonics, earthquakes, tsunamis and volcanic eruptions.

1. Opportunities and RisksIs it rational to live in hazard-prone areas?


1. What has happened to areas with

active tectonic activities?

2. What areas have been frequently

affected by earthquakes, volcanic

eruptions and tsunamis?

3. What spatial patterns exist in these

natural hazards?

4. Why are there such patterns? How

is it related to the global distribution of

plates and plate boundaries?

Natural hazards commonly

found in areas with active

tectonic activities (including

earthquakes, volcanic

eruptions and tsunamis)

Global distribution patterns

of these natural hazards

Relationship between the

distribution pattern of these

natural hazards and that of

tectonic activities

Location and spatial

distribution

Place and region

Natural hazard

People-environment

interrelationship

5. What and where are the major

plates and plate boundaries?

6. What are the related landform

features at plate boundaries? How are

they formed?

7. How does plate movement create

Brief description of the

internal structure of the

earth

The names and types of

major plates and plate

boundaries in the world, as

Plate tectonics

Natural hazard

Location and spatial

distribution

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natural hazards that develop with

these features?

well as their location

The major landform features

at plate boundaries and theirformation

The relationship between

plate movement and natural

hazards

8. What are the effects of earthquakes,

volcanic eruptions and tsunamis?

9. How do these natural hazards affect

the lives of human beings?

10. What has been done to reduce the

impact of these natural hazards?

Effects of earthquakes

(primary and secondary

effects), volcanic eruptions

and tsunamis on human

beings and the environment

Measures used to reduce

the effects of earthquakes,

volcanic eruptions and

tsunamis (e.g. monitoring,

predicting and warning

systems for natural hazards,

various disaster mitigation

and preparation strategies,

land use zoning)

Effectiveness of the above

measures

Natural hazards

People-environment

interrelationship

Impact of

technology

Limitation of

technology

11. Why are less developed areas

more vulnerable to these natural

hazards than more developed areas?

12. Should people move away from

hazard-prone areas?13. Why do some people still live in

hazard-prone areas?

14. Is their choice rational?

The reasons for less

developed areas being more

vulnerable to natural

hazards than more

developed areas (e.g.literacy level and awareness

of the people, and socio-

economic and technological

gaps)

The advantages and

disadvantages of people

living in hazard-prone areas

Natural hazard

Region

Degree of damage

and level of

development People-environment

interrelationship

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When using the case of Tohoku Earthquake-Tsunami 2011 in teaching the above issues,

teachers may guide their students to discuss the following geographical questions about this

disaster:

Plate Tectonics and Tectonic Hazards Earthquakes, tsunamis and

volcanic activities:

1. What kinds of tectonic hazards had happened in Japan on 11

March 2011 and the days after?

2. Which parts of Japan are frequently affected by earthquakes,

volcanic eruptions and tsunamis? What are their spatial

distributional patterns in Japan? Why are there such patterns?

Figure 2 The distribution of some major active volcanoes and earthquakes in Japan.

3. Which parts of Japan were seriously hit by the Tohoku

Earthquake and Tsunami 2011?

4. Where are Mt. Fuji and Volcano Shinmoedake?

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5. What are the relationships between the Tohoku Earthquake-

Tsunami and plate movements?

6. Which major plates are involved in this destructiveEarthquake-Tsunami in Japan? Where are they?

7. What are the primary and secondary effects of the Tohoku

Earthquake 2011?

8. How did the Tohoku Earthquake 2011 affect the lives of

Japanese and people in other parts of the world?

9. What have been done by the Japan government to reduce the

damages caused by earthquakes and tsunamis? To what

extent are these measures effective in alleviating the impact

of the Tohoku Earthquake?

10. Comparing with the earthquake and tsunami in South Asia

(2004), do you think less developed areas are more vulnerable

to earthquakes and tsunamis than the more developed areas?

11. Should Japanese move away from the northeast coast of

Honshu? Why do many people still choose to stay there after

the 2011 disaster? Is their choice rational?

Nuclear Power and the Choice of Power:

12. How many nuclear power plants can be found in Japan in

2011? Where are they?

13. What is the distribution pattern of the Japanese nuclear power

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plants? What are the factors affecting the location of these

plants?

14. Why did Japan still develop so many nuclear power plants even

though the whole country lies within the most active volcanic

and seismic belt in the world?

15. What are the pros and cons of using nuclear power for

generating electricity?

16. Is nuclear power a possible way out for Japan to solve its

energy problems? Why?

17. A week after the Tohoku Earthquake 2011, the Japanese

government announced that the Fukushima I Nuclear Power

Plant would be closed permanently. Many other countries in

the world also re-consider the role of nuclear power in their

countries.

If you were a Japanese official, what other types of energy

resources would you suggest to replace the widespread use of

nuclear power in Japan? Explain your choice.

18. What are the advantages and disadvantages of these

alternatives?

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Through studying this case study, students should be able to:

appreciate the interdependence between human beings and the naturalenvironment; and show concern for those affected by natural hazards.


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The case of Tohoku Earthquake and Tsunami 2011 provides an opportunity for

geography teachers to incorporate geographic information system (GIS) in the learning and

teaching of the subject. For details about how GIS can be used in the learning and teaching of

plate tectonics, earthquakes, tsunamis and volcanic eruptions, teachers may refer to the

following two educational packages developed by the Education Bureau:

No Title Cover Dissemination

details

1 A Teachers Guide to GIS Operations: Using

Geographic Information System (GIS) for

implementing enquiry learning in Geography

Disseminated to

schools in August

2009

2 Curriculum Support Materials for Senior Secondary

Geography (S4-6): Part 2 Using information

technology in learning and teaching()

[Two extra CD-ROMs/DVDs about tsunami are

reproduced in this educational package which are

very good resources for teachers to teach concepts

about tsunami:

a) Save Your Lives from Tsunami!(developed by Japan Meteorological Agency

in 2004)

b) Tsunami Teacher

(developed by the International Tsunami

Information Center (ITIC),

Intergovernmental Oceanographic

Commission (IOC) of UNESCO in 2006)

Disseminated to

schools in April

2009

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Teachers may also use ready-made GIS programs and data on the Internet to facilitate

geography students to study the Tohoku Earthquake-Tsunami 2011.

GIS LoungeSendai (Japan) Earthquake and Tsunami Mapping

Response[http://gislounge.com/sendai-japan-earthquake-and-

tsunami-mapping-response/]

At the website of GIS Lounge, choose the following links to view various maps in GIS format

and conduct simple study about this Japan disaster.

1) Click the link Japan Earthquake Map Viewer on the website. The Texas TechUniversity (TTU) Japan Earthquake Viewer will then be shown. This GIS site provides

the following GIS functions and information:

Earthquake layers: These layers show the location of the Tohoku Earthquake 2011

and its aftershocks. Students can zoom in and out, and pan the maps;

Layers showing the impacts of the Tohoku Earthquake (e.g. fire and nuclear power

crisis).

Timeline of historic earthquakes

Street view, aerial view and topographic maps of Japan

Simple draw and measure functions: Teachers may ask their students to draw

some straight lines from the epicenter of the Tohoku Earthquake to different

locations at the northeast coast of Honshu, Japan. Then, students may measure the

length of the lines (i.e. distance) with this GIS program and evaluate the

relationship between distance from the coast and the destructive power of the

tsunami.

Identify function: Students can use this function to identify the information on

the maps.

2) Click the linkESRIs Japan Incident Map on the website and make use of the following

functions to study this Japan disaster:

Topographic maps, satellite images and YouTube videos about the Tohoku

Earthquake-Tsunmai 2011, with buffer zones showing the areas affected by the

nuclear power crisis.

The GIS mapHow Japan shift

The GIS mapNuclear Impact Map

The GIS map

Tsunami Movement: Students can view the movement of tsunami

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waves across the Pacific Ocean after the Tohoku Earthquake 2011 with GIS.

3) Click the linkGoogles Sendai Earthquake Map on the website to view different layers

of information and satellite images about the Tohoku Earthquake-Tsunami 2011 and its

aftershocks.

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japan (tohoku) earthquake 2011 guide eng 30mar2011

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