Overview - Japan Earthquake and Tsunami - March 12, 2011

Source: Center for Excellence in Disaster Management and Humanitarian Assistance

Overview

A powerful 8.9-magnitude earthquake hit Japan on Friday (March 11) at 1446 local time (0546 GMT), unleashing massive tsunami waves that crashed into Japan's eastern coast of Honshu, the largest and main island of Japan, resulting in widespread damage and destruction. According to the Government of Japan (GoJ) as of Saturday (March 12), at least 464 people have been reported dead and some 725 people are reported to be missing, the UN's Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reported. The GoJ's chief spokesperson said the death toll could exceed 1,000. Local media put the death toll closer to 1,300 people. As initial assessments come in it is expected that the death toll will rise due to the extensive devastation along the coastline and majority of the casualties are likely to be the result of the tsunami. The earthquake sparked widespread tsunami warnings across the Pacific that stretched from Japan to North and South America. According to the US Geological Survey (USGS), the shallow quake struck at a depth of six miles (10 km) (20 km deep according to Japan's Meteorological Agency), around 80 miles (125 km) off the eastern coast of Japan, and 240 miles (380 km) northeast of Tokyo. It was reportedly the largest recorded quake in Japan's history and the fifth largest in the world since 1900. The quake was also felt in Japan's capital city, Tokyo, located hundreds of miles from the epicenter and was also felt as far away as the Chinese capital Beijing, some 1,500 miles away. There have been at least 79 aftershocks recorded and 16 of them have been greater than 6.0 magnitude, including one recorded at 7.1 magnitude. According to the UN, the continuing aftershocks and tsunami are hampering rescue efforts. Up to 3 meter high waves reportedly continue to hit the coast. GoJ officials also ordered new evacuations in several coastal areas, sending residents to higher ground.

Earthquakes had affected the region recently, including a 7.3-magnitude quake Wednesday (March 9) that did not cause any damage. Japan's worst previous quake was an 8.3 magnitude quake in 1923 that left some 143,000 dead. More recently, the 7.2-magnitude earthquake in Kobe in 1995 left some 6,400 dead.

Key Concerns:

• Exposure to radiation is a key concern around the affected Fukushima nuclear power plant. The situation at the nuclear reactor Unit No. 1 at the Daiichi plant remains critical

• Transport ministry says all highways from Tokyo leading to affected areas were closed, except for emergency vehicles

• Some 300,000 people are in emergency shelters and are in need of additional food, water and blankets

• Some 5.6 million households in the Tohoku and Kanto regions are without electricity; More than 1 million households are reportedly without water. Mobile communications to affected areas are spotty

• Access to some impacted areas is a concern as large coastal areas have been submerged and villages washed away

http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/rwb.nsf/db900sid/MCOI-8EWC4W?OpenDocument&rc=3&cc=jpn

(Full report - .pdf)

http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/rwb.nsf/db900sid/MCOI-8EWC4W/$File/full_report.pdf