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Unlock This CourseDeveloped countries have significant advantages when dealing with earthquakes. They have more money, better technology, stricter building codes and well-trained emergency services. This means they can predict, prepare for and respond to earthquakes much more effectively than developing countries.
Key Definitions:
Prediction: Using science to forecast when and where earthquakes might happen
Protection: Building earthquake-resistant structures and infrastructure
Preparation: Training people and planning emergency responses
Post-event response: Rescue, relief and recovery after an earthquake
On 11th March 2011, a magnitude 9.0 earthquake struck off the coast of Japan, triggering a devastating tsunami. This event shows both the strengths and challenges of earthquake management in a developed country.
Date: 11th March 2011, 2:46 PM local time
Magnitude: 9.0 (4th most powerful earthquake ever recorded)
Location: 130km east of Sendai, Honshu
Deaths: Around 20,000 people
Economic cost: Over $200 billion
Japan is one of the world's most earthquake-prepared countries. It sits on the Pacific Ring of Fire where several tectonic plates meet, so earthquakes are common. The country has invested heavily in earthquake management over many decades.
Japan has over 4,000 seismometers that can detect earthquakes instantly. The country's early warning system can alert people seconds before shaking begins, automatically stopping trains and lifts.
Strict building codes require all structures to be earthquake-resistant. Buildings use flexible materials and shock absorbers. Older buildings are regularly upgraded to meet modern standards.
Japanese children practise earthquake drills regularly at school. Adults know to "drop, cover and hold" during shaking. Emergency supplies are kept in homes and workplaces.
Japan's earthquake prediction system is among the world's most advanced. The Japan Meteorological Agency operates a network of monitoring stations that can detect the first waves of an earthquake and send warnings before the more damaging waves arrive.
The system can provide 10-60 seconds of warning before strong shaking begins. This gives people time to take cover, stop elevators between floors and automatically shut down gas supplies and industrial processes.
Japan has some of the world's strictest building regulations. All new buildings must be designed to withstand strong earthquakes and older buildings are regularly inspected and upgraded.
Japanese buildings use several techniques to survive earthquakes:
Buildings are designed to sway rather than break. Steel frames and reinforced concrete allow structures to bend without collapsing.
Large buildings have dampers and shock absorbers that reduce the movement caused by earthquakes. Some buildings sit on rubber pads that isolate them from ground movement.
Buildings are anchored deep into solid rock rather than loose soil. This prevents them from sinking or tilting during earthquakes.
Japan's preparation for earthquakes involves the government, businesses and ordinary citizens. Everyone has a role to play in reducing earthquake damage.
Japan has well-trained fire, police and medical services that can respond quickly to earthquakes. They regularly practise rescue operations and have specialised equipment for finding people trapped in collapsed buildings.
Japanese communities are well-prepared for earthquakes through education and planning:
Despite Japan's excellent preparation, the 2011 earthquake and tsunami caused massive damage. However, the country's response showed the benefits of good earthquake management.
Within minutes of the earthquake, Japan's Self-Defence Forces mobilised 100,000 personnel - their largest peacetime rescue operation. International aid arrived within days and the country's emergency systems worked effectively despite the scale of the disaster.
Japan's earthquake management system prevented even greater disaster:
The warning system gave people time to take cover and automatically stopped trains, preventing derailments and saving thousands of lives.
Most modern buildings survived the earthquake well. Very few collapsed, even in areas of intense shaking.
Rescue services responded quickly and effectively. International cooperation brought additional help within hours.
Even with excellent preparation, the 2011 earthquake revealed some weaknesses in Japan's earthquake management system.
While Japan was well-prepared for earthquakes, the tsunami was larger than expected. Sea walls that were designed to protect coastal areas were overwhelmed by waves up to 40 metres high.
The tsunami caused a nuclear accident at the Fukushima power plant when cooling systems failed. This showed that even developed countries can face unexpected consequences from natural disasters.
Japan's recovery from the 2011 earthquake shows the advantages that developed countries have in rebuilding after disasters.
Several factors helped Japan recover relatively quickly:
By 2021, most of the affected areas had been rebuilt. New sea walls were constructed, buildings were made even more earthquake-resistant and early warning systems were improved. The reconstruction cost over $300 billion but created safer, more resilient communities.
The Japan case study shows why developed countries generally manage earthquakes more successfully than developing countries.
Wealth: Money for monitoring equipment, building codes and emergency services
Technology: Advanced warning systems and construction techniques
Education: Well-informed populations who know how to respond
Infrastructure: Good communications and transport for emergency response
Governance: Effective government planning and coordination
Japan's experience with the 2011 earthquake demonstrates both the strengths and limitations of earthquake management in developed countries. While no country can completely prevent earthquake damage, good preparation, strong building codes, effective warning systems and well-trained emergency services can dramatically reduce the impact of these natural disasters.
The key lesson is that earthquake management requires long-term investment in technology, education and infrastructure. Developed countries like Japan show that with proper preparation, even the most powerful earthquakes can be survived and communities can recover successfully.