Starter quiz
- Which of the following is an example of a tectonic hazard?
- Hurricanes
- Earthquakes ✓
- Flooding
- Tornadoes
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- What is the primary cause of earthquakes?
- Wind
- Solar energy
- Tectonic plate movements ✓
- Ocean currents
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- Which type of plate boundary is most commonly associated with volcanic eruptions?
- Transform
- Divergent
- Convergent ✓
- Lateral
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- Which of the following is a primary effect of an earthquake?
- Landslides
- Tsunami
- Building collapse ✓
- Increased migration
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- What is the name of the point on Earth's surface directly above an earthquake's origin?
- Crust
- Rift
- Focus
- Epicentre ✓
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- What type of volcano is characterised by gentle slopes and is primarily formed by basaltic lava flows?
- Stratovolcano
- Shield volcano ✓
- Cinder cone
- Caldera
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Exit quiz
- Which high-income country (HIC) experienced a major earthquake in 2011?
- Japan ✓
- Italy
- Chile
- Turkey
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- What is one of the primary impacts of an earthquake in a HIC?
- Limited access to medical care
- Immediate drought and food shortage
- Loss of life, damage to buildings and infrastructure ✓
- Increased migration
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- What was the primary cause of most of the destruction in the 2011 Tōhoku disaster?
- The earthquake alone
- The tsunami triggered by the earthquake ✓
- Aftershocks from the earthquake
- The volcanic eruption
-
- Which of the following is a secondary effect of an earthquake in a HIC?
- Improved international relations
- Immediate increase in agricultural production
- Decrease in population density
- Tsunamis and fires ✓
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Worksheet
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Lesson Details
Key learning points
- In March 2011, a massive 9.0 magnitude earthquake shook the Japanese island of Honshu.
- Sudden slippage occurred along a destructive plate margin between the Pacific plate and the Okhotsk plate.
- Primary and secondary effects of the disaster caused the deaths of more than 18 000 people.
- Japan's position as an HIC influenced its immediate and long-term responses and their effectiveness.
Common misconception
The earthquake caused most of the destruction in the 2011 Tohuku disaster.
While the magnitude 9.0 earthquake was powerful, Japan’s strict building regulations meant that most modern buildings withstood the shaking. It was the 10-metre-high tsunami that caused the majory of the destruction.
Keywords
Magnitude - a measure of the energy released by an earthquake
Epicentre - the point on Earth's surface that is directly above where an earthquake happens underground
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