Search

This study examined the relationship between risk perception and evacuation behavior, and the sociospatial contexts that affect evacuation. It is argued that risk perception and contextual conditions have a joint effect on evacuation. Data were collected from 3,756 evacuees in sixteen cities and towns affected by the 2011 Tohoku earthquake off the Pacific coast. Using geographic information systems (GIS), data from questionnaires on risk perception and activity diary surveys on behavioral response were combined with geospatial data. The main finding was that high risk perception leads to evacuation behavior, but that the difference between immediate and delayed evacuation depends on the sociospatial context. Delayed evacuation, compared with immediate evacuation, tends to occur in the following contexts: (1) the physical context (e.g., being inland at the time of the disaster impact); (2) the household context (e.g., the need to confirm the safety of household members); and (3) the social context (e.g., the need for assistance with mobility). This study extends the literature on disaster science and cognitive-behavioral geography by considering the relationship between perception and behavior in urban spaces in emergencies. The findings are relevant to the development of disaster preparedness planning to minimize human losses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although COVID-19 has commonly been narrated as an impediment to the arts, I argue that it also offered exciting new opportunities to engage audiences with exhibitions focus on public health crises. In this article, I reflect on my experience of curating Picturing the Invisible with students at Technical University Munich (TU Munich) during the COVID-19 pandemic. Organized in memory of the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake, tsunami and nuclear disaster, the exhibition was shown at the Royal Geographical Society, London (October till December 2021) during the so-called "second wave" and at TU Munich (June 2022) amid the rise of the Omicron Variant. Departing from the common tendency to narrate events as having been successfully organized despite the pandemic, this paper presents the virus as co-creating—perhaps even co-curating—the exhibition. To do so, I provide a brief overview of Picturing the Invisible, before going on to analyze the role that the virus played in calling me to organize this project (as both a researcher and as a lecturer), how it has made it logistically possible, and how it presented new opportunities to engage foreign audiences with the experience of Japan's triple disaster. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper offers a critical engagement with endings in relation to formulations of crisis and futures through two sites that stage an encounter with the end. The first is the permanent exhibit at Japan's National Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation in Tokyo. This site, I show, asks us to reflect on how we think about the end of civilisation as an immanent crisis to be overcome through an innovation that allows us to escape accountability for conditions in the present. As such, I argue, it ultimately encourages us to cultivate attention and accountability toward material and conceptual problems in the present. The discussion then takes the idea of cultivating attention to the present to northeast Japan. I show there how an ending inflicted on the coastal residents by the tsunami of March 2011 has made space for precisely this kind of attention and accountability to the present. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To develop disaster mitigation measures in coastal regions affected by earthquakes, it is important to consider the effects of both seismic and tsunami hazards on road structures and assess the social impacts associated with the economic loss and reduction in network functionality. In this paper, a risk- and resilience-based assessment framework is established for road networks under both seismic and tsunami hazards. In the proposed methodology, the risk and resilience are quantified by the economic loss and postdisaster functionality of road networks, respectively. Uncertainties associated with estimations of fault movement, hazard intensity and structural vulnerability are considered when estimating the failure probability using Monte Carlo simulation. Moreover, structural vulnerability against tsunamis is estimated considering the effects of ground motion-induced damage on the reduction in tsunami capacity. As an illustrative example, the road networks in two Japanese cities expected to be affected by the anticipated Nankai Trough earthquake, which would cause strong ground motions and a subsequent tsunami, are analyzed. Finally, the retrofitting prioritization for various structures is discussed based on the risk and resilience quantified as performance indicators for social impacts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The 2011 Tohoku Tsunami caused severe damage to many coastal defenses along the Japanese coastline, including areas where two adjacent upright sea dikes of different heights met. There are many places along the coastline where structures of different heights and shapes meet due to the various design codes. In this study, the authors aim to examine the tsunami flow around such dikes by conducting three-dimensional hydraulic experiments in a tsunami wave basin and numerical simulations using the fluid dynamics model OpenFOAM. Twelve experimental cases were tested by changing the waveforms, and also by keeping the height of one side of the dike model constant while adjusting the dimensions of the other side. The results show that the difference in height between the structures significantly influences the volume of overtopping over the relatively lower dike and the inundation depth and velocity behind the dikes. Furthermore, different characteristics of inundation patterns are observed between the inundation depth and velocity. Hence, this study illustrates the necessity to re-assess the effectiveness of such structures against tsunami events. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this essay, I analyse landscape photography produced in the aftermath of the tsunami and earthquake that hit Japan in March 2011. The aim of the essay is to unpack the profound impact the disaster has hct 3ad, and is having, and how this can be observed in the type of photographic practices that since emerged in Japan. As I will argue, one of the greatest transformations can be seen in the way artists and photographers subvert the material integrity of the image itself. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A near-field tsunami inundation forecast method (NearTIF) for the Pacific coast of Central America is developed and tested on the basis of the 1992 Nicaragua tsunami earthquake case. The appropriate source model of the 1992 Nicaragua earthquake, estimated using the W-phase inversion with a depth dependent rigidity curve from a previous study, is used as a reference model to test the proposed NearTIF method. The tsunami inundation along the Pacific coast of Nicaragua is computed from the reference model of the 1992 Nicaragua earthquake. The tsunami inundation obtained using the NearTIF method matches the tsunami inundations computed from the reference model. The tsunami heights and the tsunami inundation of the 1992 Nicaragua tsunami surveyed by a previous study are roughly matched by the tsunami inundations obtained using the NearTIF method in this study. Although the computational time for the tsunami inundation from the reference source model is about 95 min, the computational time plus the database search time for the NearTIF method is approximately 2–4 min. The method presented in this study can be used as a near-real time tsunami inundation forecast method for the Pacific coast of Central America. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The viral dissemination of fake news threatens news organizations in Indonesia, with many social media users exhibiting a decrease in their trust of traditional media, as well as limited digital literacy. To investigate fake news during natural disasters, this mixed-methods study examines information patterns and journalistic practices of three news organizations during the 2018 Palu earthquake and tsunami. First, online observations of disaster-related fake news cases on social media provide insights into how fake news was handled by three types of news media. The results show that when fake news concerned factual scientific evidence, news organizations unanimously used the government statements to debunk disinformation. In contrast, political or religious fake news had long lifecycles of polarized debates between pro-government groups and opponents. Using the Hierarchy-of Influences Model, in-depth interviews showed that individual-level journalistic professionalism mattered when tackling fake news reports, with some local practices differing from Western journalism approaches. At the routine level, news professionals treated the government as the authority to debunk controversial, high-risk fake news by presenting news only after official clarifications, while independent media tended to present balanced reports with diverse views. Additionally, interviewees revealed that organizational policies in relation to media types greatly influenced the handling of fake news practices in Indonesian newsrooms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recovery after major disaster poses a unique set of challenges for the older population, including disruption of medical care for pre-existing conditions, functional limitations that impede recovery, and social isolation following involuntary resettlement. In this review, we summarise the lessons about disaster resilience that have been learned (so far) from a unique ongoing field study based in a community that was affected by the 2011 earthquake and tsunami in Japan. In the Iwanuma Study, baseline information about the health status and living conditions of older residents was collected seven months before the disaster. A follow-up survey was conducted 2.5 years after the disaster, allowing us investigate the risk and protective factors for a range of disaster-related health sequelae, including mental illness and cognitive disability. A consistent finding to emerge from our studies is the critical role of social connections (the 'social capital' of a community) in protecting against the deleterious after-effects of psychological trauma and involuntary resettlement following the disaster. In contrast to the emphasis on investing in material infrastructure to prepare for disasters, a review of our studies suggests that repairing (or at least preserving) the social fabric of people's lives is a crucial ingredient in disaster resilience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

After recent large earthquakes, field investigations confirmed that several bridges were severely damaged and collapsed not only due to the earthquake, as an independent hazard, but also to the subsequent tsunami, landslide or fault displacement. In addition, long-term material deterioration might have an important impact on seismic damage to bridges. Therefore, it is important to study both independent and interacting hazards and their effects on the reliability and risk of bridges and bridge networks. Although earthquake is still a dominant hazard to bridges in many earthquake-prone countries, a life-cycle reliability and risk approach has to consider both independent and interrelated hazards causing bridge failure. Such an approach is presented in this paper. In addition, issues related to life-cycle analysis, design, risk, resilience and management of bridges under earthquake and other hazards are discussed. Finally, the concepts and methods presented are illustrated on both single bridges and bridge networks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Following the Great East Japan Earthquake, a massive tsunami caused serious damage to coastal dikes. Local scour at the ground behind these dikes reportedly causes dike failures. It is important to reveal the scour process to establish methods for effective scour countermeasures. Herein, we focus on geogrids. To verify this proposal and examine its design, flume-model experiments were performed for non-liquefied and liquefied grounds behind coastal dikes. The results showed that the scour amount and area were reduced drastically when geogrids were present. Geogrids on the sand-bed surface changed the direction of overflow water. Thus, a scour hole developed away from a coastal dike model. Furthermore, geogrids exerted a scour-reduction effect even during liquefaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study is to estimate how and what kinds of tsunamis are generated near shorelines in the Japan Sea, using earthquake tsunami sources proposed by the Japanese government. Tsunami propagation based on these sources was first simulated based on the linear Boussinesq theory for Miho Bay, where a historical tsunami inundated the shoreline. The results indicate that tsunami sources not only near the bay but also farther from the bay could generate significant tsunami fluctuations. Thus, the amplification of the latter tsunamis was examined using Fourier analysis. Tsunami waveforms in the bay periodically fluctuate with large amplitudes after the first wave. The Fourier analysis specified these periods to be 13–16 min, consistent with the estimated resonance periods of the bay. Therefore, it can be concluded that one of the factors responsible for the amplification of tsunamis in Miho Bay is the bay-scale resonance. To investigate why resonance occurs during tsunamis, a relationship between the tsunami source geometry and the generated tsunami was examined. This analysis indicates that specific tsunami sources located in critical areas could enhance the resonance in Miho Bay. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Following the 2011 Tohoku earthquake, coastal forests dissipated the energy of the tsunami and trapped flotsam. Although studies have shown how trees dissipate flow energy and are damaged in the process, the factors determining the trapping of flotsam by lines of trees or their capacity to do so have not been quantitatively examined. Quantitative evaluation of these factors may lead to tree-based strategies for suppressing the secondary damage caused by tsunami flotsam. To increase the ability of trees to mitigate damage, their physical limitations need to be identified. Field surveys revealed that integrated clusters of flotsam were caught by trees even if individual floating objects were smaller than the distance between the trees. Hydraulic experiments revealed relations between physical factors and the capture of flotsam. From these relations, we derived a simple formula for evaluating the trapping capacity of lines of trees. The estimates from our model were consistent with the actual results of the 2011 tsunami in Tagajo city, Miyagi prefecture, where trees did not topple under the forces applied by trapped flotsam. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since the 2011 Great East Japan tsunami, many improvements have been made in both hard and soft solutions for tsunami mitigation. After the 2011 Great East Japan tsunami, a posttsunami survey was conducted along the coast in Miyagi Prefecture, which was one of the most tsunami-affected sites because rapid acceleration of the tsunami currents broke and washed away the trees, resulting in extensive damage to inland houses. In contrast, some of the houses located inland and away from vegetation with a dropping step survived. This shows a possibility that a step combined with the vegetation offers greater tsunami energy reduction by providing additional resistance. Laboratory experiments were conducted to investigate the energy reduction through a compound defense system (vegetation and a backward-facing step). Vegetation with a step (VS) showed greater energy reduction compared to that of only vegetation without a step (OV) due to additional loss by collision with the bed surface. However, the relative energy reduction in OV remained almost constant with the increase in the initial Froude number (F0, where the Froude number is obtained from a model without vegetation in a flume), whereas the relative energy reduction in VS showed a decreasing trend with increasing F0 because the energy reduction due to collision decreases with increase in water depth or F0. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tsunami fission generates short waves at the front face of tsunami and these short waves may expand the inundation area, increase the hydrodynamic forces exerted on structures, and amplify the damage to coastal communities. It is therefore important to understand to what extent the tsunami fission generates such short wave components under variable conditions for development of better tsunami disaster mitigation strategies and plannings. This study carried out numerical experiments to describe under which conditions the tsunami fission occurs in a bay. The experiments indicated that the amplification of the nearshore tsunami height induced by the narrowing bay geometry and the bay-scale resonance enhance the tsunami fission. Based on the computations, a parametric diagram for the occurrence of tsunami fission was proposed in terms of the tsunami properties, the effect of bay geometry and the bay resonance. The developed diagram was applied to Sendai, Ryori, Yoshihama, and Toni Bays, which were affected by the 2011 Tohoku Tsunami. The proposed diagram consistently explained the occurrence of tsunami fission in Sendai Bay and in Ryori Bay as observed in the video footage. The diagram also suggested that the tsunami fission would have occurred in Yoshihama Bay. A high-resolution numerical computation was performed to simulate the tsunami deformation in the Yoshihama Bay and Toni Bay based on a nonlinear dispersive wave model. The result supported the validity of the diagram in describing the generation of tsunami fission in Yoshihama Bay. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Damage to seagrass and seaweed beds caused by the huge tsunami of the Great East Japan Earthquake on 11 March 2011 was investigated in Matsushima Bay, Miyagi Prefecture, Japan, by comparing satellite images taken before the tsunami in November 2009 and after the tsunami in May 2011. The results showed that the tsunami destroyed 220 ha of seagrass and seaweed beds, from 320 ha in 2009 to 100 ha just after the tsunami. Zostera marina beds on the sandy and muddy bottom were rather severely damaged compared with brown seaweed beds of Sargassum horneri on the rocky substrate. Substrates of the beds and directions of the tsunami seem to be responsible for the magnitude of the damage to the beds. Maps of the spatial distributions of the beds before and after the tsunami can provide information for the restoration of seagrass and seaweed beds as natural infrastructures of coastal fisheries resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Three years have passed since the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake (GEJE) hit the northeastern part of Japan. The earthquake then triggered a devastating tsunami and a nuclear accident, which in turn created a compound disaster that claimed a large number of human casualties and devastated properties. The 2011 GEJE caused the economy growth to decline by 2.2% with the largest decrease experienced by the industrial sector (−7.1%), followed by the agricultural sector (−3.6%) and the services sector (−0.2%). The agriculture and manufacturing sectors underwent large decreases in growth since the economies of most of the affected prefectures have relied on these two sectors. Thus, by investigating the damaging impacts of the 2011 GEJE, we try to evaluate the restoration and reconstruction performance in the agriculture and manufacturing sectors. Our study finds that there has been significant progress made towards restoration and reconstruction on the areas affected by the disaster. Using prefectural data from 2000 to 2012, we apply econometric methods based upon the bias-corrected least-squares dummy variable to estimate the impact of the 2011 GEJE on the agricultural and manufacturing sectors. From this analysis, two major insights emerged. First, the 2011 GEJE had a significant negative impact on agriculture and manufacturing sectors. On average, the impact on the agriculture sector was higher than on the manufacturing sector about twice as large. Second, the most affected prefectures experienced an impact about three times greater than the less affected prefectures in both agriculture and manufacturing sectors. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Given the importance of ports to immediate disaster relief operations after a major tsunami, breakwaters are necessary to sustain a minimum level of functionality required to carry out port operations. However, most breakwaters that protect fishery or industrial ports are not designed to withstand a tsunami. For this reason, many of these breakwaters were destroyed by the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami. However, some breakwaters withstood the tsunami, which facilitated the rapid resumption of port operations. In this study, 67 ports were investigated by using satellite images to identify the percentage of breakwaters that suffered damage due to the 2011 tsunami and how the tsunami height and breakwater width influenced the degree of breakwater damage. Because tsunami heights were not measured at the breakwaters, they were estimated by interpolating the data observed at nearby locations with a Gaussian weighting function at a reasonable accuracy. Possible drawbacks of this simplified method are also discussed because a certain degree of estimation error is inevitable. Breakwaters less than 8 m wide were quantitatively demonstrated to inevitably experience extensive damage when the tsunami height exceeded 14 m. In contrast, breakwaters that were more than 14 m wide, exposed to tsunami heights of less than 6 m, or both were not greatly damaged. An examination of the effectiveness of armor blocks also revealed that their placement could substantially reduce breakwater damage due to a tsunami. The results suggest a simplified method, particularly for assisting local fishery administrators or other authorities concerned, to practically estimate the risk of a port suffering damage because of future tsunamis. The proposed method should contribute to prioritizing the protection of ports in order of their likelihood of failure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A computational framework for probabilistic tsunami risk assessment due to a mega-thrust subduction earthquake is developed and is applied to the 2011 Tohoku Tsunami from retrospective viewpoints. The uncertain tsunami source characteristics are represented by multiple source inversion models and their stochastic variations that are generated using the spectral analysis and synthesis method. By conducting Monte Carlo tsunami simulation, stochastic inundation depth maps can be developed, which are subsequently integrated with tsunami fragility curves to develop stochastic tsunami risk maps. The stochastic tsunami risk maps display spatial variability of tsunami damage probabilities for a building portfolio, reflecting not only possible tsunami scenarios but also uncertain tsunami resistance of buildings. The numerical results indicate that both stochastic tsunami risk maps and risk curves are affected by the local terrain features, proximity to major tsunami sources, and building characteristics (material type and story number). Consideration of different reference tsunami source models in probabilistic tsunami risk assessment are identified as one of the critical contributors to the overall uncertainty of the tsunami risk predictions. Therefore, in determining critical scenarios for tsunami evacuation and risk mitigation, a wide range of possible tsunami scenarios should be considered in light of the current limited seismological knowledge for the mega-thrust subduction earthquake. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper provides an input–output method to estimate worldwide economic impacts generated by supply chain disruptions. The method is used to analyse global economic effects due to the disruptions in the automotive industry that followed the Japanese earthquake and the consequent tsunami and nuclear crisis of March 2011. By combining a mixed multi-regional input–output model, the World Input–Output Database and data at the factory level, the study quantifies the economic impacts of the disruptions broken down by country and industry. The results show that the global economic effect (in terms of value added) of this disruption amounted to US$139 billion. The most affected (groups of) countries were Japan (39%), the USA (25%), China (8%) and the European Union (7%). The most strongly affected industries were transport equipment (37%), other business activities (10%), basic and fabricated metals (8%), wholesale trade (7%) and financial intermediation (4%). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Has the 2011 Tohoku Earthquake given rise to theodicy in Japan? This question would puzzle many scholars of religion for two major reasons. First, theodicy has generally been regarded as an outdated concept, and it is rare to see a lively discussion of it in today's academia except for in theology. Second, typical theodicean questions are unlikely to be asked publicly in Japan, where less than 2 percent of the population follow monotheistic traditions. Despite these assumptions, this article not only reports that ‘apparently’ theodicean public discourses have emerged since the 11 March earthquake, but also attempts to employ the typology of theodicy to analyze them in a thought-provoking and critical manner. It argues that the post-3/11 Japanese voices, which regard the disaster as a divine punishment, use a reverse logic of traditional Western theodicy. Rather than signaling a sudden turn to monotheism, the voices are inclined to imply nativism. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The destructive impact of the Great East Japan Earthquake and subsequent tsunami on March 11, 2011 has enhanced consumer's earthquake preparedness even in unaffected areas. This paper uses unique survey data collected after the earthquake to study how consumers reacted to this catastrophic event. We find that self-reported, perceived preparedness for natural disasters has significantly improved even among low-income households after March 11, but that post-quake intentions for more specific risk mitigation activities were systematically associated with household income and wealth levels. Our results indicate that the recent events might have widened the gap in disaster preparedness between rich and poor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A numerical computation of the 2011 Tohoku earthquake tsunami was performed to identify fundamental features of the tsunami evolution along the coast of Hokkaido, Japan. Edge waves formed at multiple locations where the refracted tsunami focused, governing local surface oscillations and regional variations in tsunami height along the Pacific coast of Hokkaido. The computation reasonably reproduced the distribution of surveyed tsunami height as well as the time records of surface elevation recorded at ports in Hokkaido. The major features of the frequency spectrum for the 2011 Tohoku tsunami were identical to those for the 2003 Tokachi-oki earthquake tsunami; inherent local properties of surface oscillation caused by the passage of edge waves existed, determined by the local bathymetry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The field survey results obtained by the team of authors in the north of Miyagi Prefecture between April 1 and 6, 2011 are summarized referring to a part of the survey results by other teams of the 2011 Tohoku Earthquake Tsunami Joint Survey Group. The inundation height above sea level was measured using a laser range finder with a reflection prism. The inundation height was generally larger at bay heads, as well as promontory tips, except several points, which were sheltered by a peninsula or had a tapering area. The tsunamis reached inland far away from the sea along valleys and rivers. Not only steel frame buildings but also many reinforced concrete buildings were collapsed in Onagawa Town. According to the numerical results, the first of tsunamis from the west coast and the second of tsunamis from the east coast should come together in Utatsusaki Peninsula, which is consistent with the interviews to survivors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

At 14:46 JST on March 11, 2011 a magnitude 9.0 earthquake (2011 Tohoku Earthquake and Tsunami) occurred off the Pacific Coast of Miyagi Prefecture. This study investigated the extensive changes in beach morphology due to the earthquake and tsunami along the 15 km Northern Sendai Coast using remotely sensed data. The remote sensing analysis on the beach topography and coastal forest demonstrated the following notable characteristics of beach morphological change: erosion of the northern barrier at the mouths of the Nanakitagawa and Natorigawa Rivers; erosion at an old river channel; scour landward of the seawalls in the longshore direction; erosion and deposition in beach areas with detached breakwaters; and deposition in coastal forest areas. Linkage of the deposition in the forest areas with the damage type of coastal forests was observed. The impact of the earthquake and tsunami on the beach morphology was serious; roughly 60% of the study area was degraded by 0.2-0.5 m in elevation mainly due to land subsidence, and a total of 0.4 km2 of beach area was eroded mainly due to erosion of the northern barrier at the mouths of the Nanakitagawa and Natorigawa Rivers. This study explores the geographical changes brought on by a tremendous earthquake and tsunami, which will help to elucidate the mechanisms of coastal forest destruction, beach erosion, and their interaction during tsunami events. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Japan was hit by the tsunami generated by the greatest earthquake in the history of Japan. The authors conducted the post-tsunami field survey in Miyagi prefecture immediately after the event to measure the inundation depth and investigate damaged buildings. Most of the buildings surveyed were wooden houses and could be classified into 4 damage levels. The primary data of inundation depth and damage levels obtained from the field survey were used to create the tsunami fragility curves, which described the degree of structural damage as a function of the hydrodynamic characteristics of tsunami inundation. The developed fragility curves show that damage with more than a 50% chance of occurring is classified as minor damage, moderate damage, major damage and complete damage when the tsunami inundation depth is between 2.5-3.0 m, 3.0-4.0 m and 4.0-4.5 m and greater than 4.5 m, respectively. By comparing the developed tsunami fragility curves, wooden houses in the studied area have higher structural performance than those obtained from historical events in other areas. The new curves suggest that wooden houses will be severely damaged if the inundation depth is greater than 3 m and collapse if the depth is greater than 4 m while wooden houses from historical data can resist only 1-2 m. Moreover, wooden walls in Japan reduce the overall failure of a structural member because a wooden wall is easier to destroy (compared to brick walls in Thailand and Indonesia) and allows the tsunami to pass through, which reduces the pressure at the attacking front of the tsunami. The fragility curves are very important for the loss estimation and reconstruction plans of the city; they are also crucial for reducing the disaster damage from a future tsunami. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

At 14:46 on March 11, 2011 (local time), a large earthquake of magnitude Mw 9.0 took place, generating a tsunami that caused severe damage to the east coast of Japan. To comprehensively record tsunami trace heights and impacts along the coastal region, the Tohoku Earthquake Tsunami Joint Survey Group was organized immediately after the event. As part of this group, the authors conducted a field survey in Miyagi and Fukushima Prefectures. The surveyed area can be divided into 2 parts from the point of view of its geographical features: the northern part (a rias coastal area) and the southern part (a coastal plain area). In this paper, the characteristics of the damage due to the tsunami in each area are analyzed by using both the results of the authors' own field survey and the Joint Survey Group. In the rias coastal area, inundation heights were more than 10 m, which resulted in the flooding of the low-lying grounds located at the inner part of the bays. The tsunami wave caused widespread destruction in this area, and coastal buildings (including reinforced concrete buildings) suffered severe damage. In the southern coastal plains, inundation heights were 5-10 m and the tsunami reached a few kilometers inland, though unfortunately there were not enough high locations or buildings for the residents to evacuate. In addition, an extensive line of coastal dikes and forests, which had been placed to protect the wide plains behind them, also suffered extensive damage. From these geographically dependent inundation and destruction patterns, a number of important lessons on how to modify and improve future risk management strategies can be obtained. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The behavior of the 2011 Tohoku earthquake tsunami in Tokyo Bay and its resultant damage to the coasts are studied using a field survey, an analysis of observed tsunami wave profiles and numerical hindcasting using FVCOM and Delft3D-Flow. The field survey reveals that the tsunami caused several fishery ports to overflow, and unexpectedly large inundation and run-up heights of 2.84 m and 2.91 m were recorded in Funabashi Fishery Port and Shin-Futtsu Fishery Port, respectively. Examining the observed tsunami wave profiles, the tsunami wave entered the bay with a maximum height of approximately 0.9 m for the second wave and a period of approximately 60 min, propagating along the major axis of the bay with almost uniform height. Numerical hindcasting results using both the models are fairly consistent with the measurements, revealing that the tsunami wave heights are locally amplified in ports because of wave reflection, water accumulation due to their narrow and enclosed shape, and, to some extent, the harbor resonance. Heavy damage to seaweed farming was also observed, especially around the Futtsu Cape and the northern part of the Banzu tidal flat, which numerical analysis attributes to the appearance of large hydraulic resistance on seaweed net. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

On 11 March 2011, at 05:46:24 UTC, a magnitude 9.0 Mw earthquake occurred near the east coast of Honshu, Japan. The earthquake generated a tsunami with wave heights up to 38.9 m. The earthquake and tsunami caused almost 20,000 deaths and missing in Japan. The tsunami was observed all over the Pacific Ocean and caused additional deaths in Indonesia and California, USA. The earthquake and tsunami also caused the worst nuclear emergency since Chernobyl. The damage costs resulting from the earthquake and tsunami in Japan will be between 16 and 25 trillion yen. The National Geophysical Data Center (NGDC) and co-located World Data Center for Geophysics maintain a global historical eventdatabase of tsunamis, significant earthquakes, and significant volcanic eruptions (http://www.ngdc.noaa.gov/hazards/). As of 3 October 2011, NGDC has collected 288 tide gauge observations, 34 Deep-ocean Assessment and Reporting of Tsunami (DART®) and bottom pressure recorder (BPR) station observations, and over 5,000 eyewitness reports and post-tsunami field survey measurements. These data will be useful for understanding and modelling tsunami generation, propagation, and inundation on land. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This section offers an update from the field of neutron. A description of the damages sustained by neutron facilities due to the earthquake and tsunami that hit the Tohoku-Kanto district in Japan on March 11, 2011 is provided. It announces that Robert Dagliesh from the ISIS Neutron and Muon Facility has won the BTM Willis Prize for neutron scattering for the neutron techniques he developed. It discusses the summer school held at the 18th annual meeting of the French neutron scattering society.

The article presents quotes and statistics about the 2011 civil war in Libya and the 2011 earthquake in Sendai, Japan from British Prime Minister David Cameron, French President Nicolas Sarkozy and Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin.

The author comments on the impact of the earthquake and tsunami that hit the northern part of Japan on March 11, 2011 on the Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA) Nuclear Science Research Institute in Tokai, Japan. He relates that all of the experimental facilities of the institute were seriously damaged by the earthquake. He describes the status of the JRR-3 reactor of the institute. He expresses his gratitude for colleagues in the field of neutron science for offering support to the institute.