Fat Man and Little Boy

8/22/2019 Fat Man and Little Boy

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Fat Man and Little Boy

Fat Man and Little Boy, both weapons of unparalleled destructive power, were actuallyquite different. Little Boy, fueled by highly enricheduranium-235, was triggered by asimple "gun" mechanism; a small, slug-shaped piece of uranium was fired down a barrel

into a larger, cup-shaped piece. This elementary design generated a destructive force ofabout 15 kilotonsthe equivalent of 15,000 tons of TNT.

A much more complex implosion-type device triggered Fat Man. It consisted ofaplutoniumcore surrounded by high explosives wired to explode simultaneously. Theshock waves from these conventional explosions triggered the fission of the plutonium,which yielded a 22 kiloton explosion.

The attacks on Hiroshima and Nagasaki had a devastating psychological impact on thealready weakened Japanese. EmperorHirohitoaccepted the U.S.' terms of surrenderon August 14. On September 2, Japan signed an official declaration of surrender

aboard the U.S.S. Missouri.

2011 Thoku earthquake andtsunamiFrom Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

"2011 Miyagi earthquake" redirects here. For the aftershock that

occurred on 7 April, seeApril 2011 Miyagi earthquake.

2011 Thoku earthquake and tsunami

An aerial view of damage in theThokuregion with black

smoke coming from theNippon OilSendai oil refinery
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Peak tsunami wave height locations, color-coded with redrepresenting most severe

Date 14:46:23, 11 March 2011 (+09:00)

Duration 6 minutes[1]

Magnitude 9.0Mw[2][3]

Depth 32 km (20 mi)

Epicenter

location

38.322N

142.369ECoordinates:38.322N

142.369E

Type Megathrust earthquake

Countries or

regions

affected

Japan(primary)

Pacific Rim(tsunami, secondary)

Total damage Tsunami wave, flooding, landslides, fires,

building and infrastructure damage,

nuclear incidents including radiation
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releases

Peak ground

acceleration

2.99g

Tsunami Yes, over 10 metres (33 ft)

Landslides Yes

Foreshocks 7+ (4+ above 6.0 MW)

Aftershocks 1,021+ (63+ above 6.0 MW)

Casualties 15,093 deaths,[4][5]

5,282

injured,[4][5]

9,121 people missing[4][5]

The 2011 Thoku earthquake, officially named the Great East JapanEarthquake,[6][7](Japanese: "Eastern Japan Great EarthquakeDisaster" (Higashi Nihon Daishinsai?)[fn 1]) was

amagnitude9.0 (Mw)underseamegathrust earthquakeoff the coastofJapanthat occurred at 14:46JST(05:46UTC) on Friday, 11 March2011,[2][3][8]with theepicenterapproximately 70 kilometres (43 mi) east oftheOshika PeninsulaofThokuand thehypocenterat an underwaterdepth of approximately 32 km (20 mi).[2][9]It was the most powerful

knownearthquake to have hit Japan, and one of the fivemost powerfulearthquakes in the worldoverall since modern record-keeping began in1900.[8][10][11]The earthquake triggered extremely destructive tsunamiwaves of up to 38.9 metres (128 ft)[where?].[12]that struck Japan, in somecases traveling up to 10 km (6 mi) inland. [where?][13]In addition to loss oflife and destruction of infrastructure, thetsunamicaused a numberofnuclear accidents, of which by far the most serious was anongoinglevel 7event and 20 km (12 mi) evacuation zone aroundtheFukushima I Nuclear Power Plant(see2011 Japanese nuclearaccidents). The overall cost could exceed $300 billion, making it themost expensive natural disaster on record.[14][15][16]

The JapaneseNational Police Agencyhas confirmed 15,093deaths,[4][5]5,282 injured,[4][5]and 9,121 people missing[4][5]acrosseighteenprefectures, as well as over 125,000 buildings damaged or
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destroyed.[4][5]The earthquake and tsunami caused extensive andsevere structural damage in Japan, including heavy damage to roadsand railways as well as fires in many areas, and a damcollapse.[13][17]Around 4.4 million households in northeastern Japan were

left without electricity and 1.5 million without water.[18]Many electricalgenerators were taken down, and at least threenuclear reactorssufferedexplosionsdue to hydrogen gas that had built up within their outercontainment buildings after cooling system failure. Residents within a20 km (12 mi) radius of theFukushima I Nuclear Power Plantand a10 km (6 mi) radius of theFukushima II Nuclear Power Plantwereevacuated. In addition, the U.S. recommended that its citizens evacuateup to 80 km (50 mi) of the plant.[19]

Japanese Prime MinisterNaoto Kansaid, "In the 65 years after the endof World War II, this is the toughest and the most difficult crisis forJapan."[20]The earthquake movedHonshu2.4 m (8 ft) east and shiftedthe Earth on its axis by 10 cm (4 in).[21][22]Early estimates placed insuredlosses from the earthquake alone at US$14.5 to $34.6billion.[23]TheBank of Japanoffered15 trillion (US$183 billion) to thebanking system on 14 March in an effort to normalize marketconditions.[24]

Contents

1 Earthquake

o 1.1 Geology

o 1.2 Energy

o 1.3 Geophysical impacts

o 1.4 Aftershocks

2 Tsunami

o

2.1 Japano 2.2 Elsewhere across the Pacific

3 Land subsidence

4 Casualties

5 Damage and effects

o 5.1 Nuclear power plants
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_T%C5%8Dhoku_earthquake_and_tsunami#cite_note-Template:2011_T.C5.8Dhoku_earthquake_and_tsunami_casualties_NPA-3http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_T%C5%8Dhoku_earthquake_and_tsunami#cite_note-Template:2011_T.C5.8Dhoku_earthquake_and_tsunami_casualties_NPA-3http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_T%C5%8Dhoku_earthquake_and_tsunami#cite_note-Template:2011_T.C5.8Dhoku_earthquake_and_tsunami_casualties_NPA-3http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_T%C5%8Dhoku_earthquake_and_tsunami#cite_note-roland_buerk-13http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_T%C5%8Dhoku_earthquake_and_tsunami#cite_note-roland_buerk-13http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_T%C5%8Dhoku_earthquake_and_tsunami#cite_note-roland_buerk-13http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_T%C5%8Dhoku_earthquake_and_tsunami#cite_note-waterfoodheat-18http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_T%C5%8Dhoku_earthquake_and_tsunami#cite_note-waterfoodheat-18http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_T%C5%8Dhoku_earthquake_and_tsunami#cite_note-waterfoodheat-18http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuclear_reactorhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fukushima_I_nuclear_accidentshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fukushima_I_nuclear_accidentshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fukushima_I_nuclear_accidentshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fukushima_I_nuclear_accidentshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fukushima_I_Nuclear_Power_Planthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fukushima_I_Nuclear_Power_Planthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fukushima_II_Nuclear_Power_Planthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fukushima_II_Nuclear_Power_Planthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fukushima_II_Nuclear_Power_Planthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_T%C5%8Dhoku_earthquake_and_tsunami#cite_note-usevac-19http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_T%C5%8Dhoku_earthquake_and_tsunami#cite_note-usevac-19http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_T%C5%8Dhoku_earthquake_and_tsunami#cite_note-usevac-19http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naoto_Kanhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naoto_Kanhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naoto_Kanhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_T%C5%8Dhoku_earthquake_and_tsunami#cite_note-20http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_T%C5%8Dhoku_earthquake_and_tsunami#cite_note-20http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_T%C5%8Dhoku_earthquake_and_tsunami#cite_note-20http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honshuhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honshuhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honshuhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_T%C5%8Dhoku_earthquake_and_tsunami#cite_note-DW-21http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_T%C5%8Dhoku_earthquake_and_tsunami#cite_note-DW-21http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_T%C5%8Dhoku_earthquake_and_tsunami#cite_note-DW-21http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_T%C5%8Dhoku_earthquake_and_tsunami#cite_note-23http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_T%C5%8Dhoku_earthquake_and_tsunami#cite_note-23http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_T%C5%8Dhoku_earthquake_and_tsunami#cite_note-23http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bank_of_Japanhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bank_of_Japanhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bank_of_Japanhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_yenhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_yenhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_T%C5%8Dhoku_earthquake_and_tsunami#cite_note-24http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_T%C5%8Dhoku_earthquake_and_tsunami#cite_note-24http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_T%C5%8Dhoku_earthquake_and_tsunami#cite_note-24http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_T%C5%8Dhoku_earthquake_and_tsunami#Earthquakehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_T%C5%8Dhoku_earthquake_and_tsunami#Earthquakehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_T%C5%8Dhoku_earthquake_and_tsunami#Geologyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_T%C5%8Dhoku_earthquake_and_tsunami#Geologyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_T%C5%8Dhoku_earthquake_and_tsunami#Energyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_T%C5%8Dhoku_earthquake_and_tsunami#Energyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_T%C5%8Dhoku_earthquake_and_tsunami#Geophysical_impactshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_T%C5%8Dhoku_earthquake_and_tsunami#Geophysical_impactshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_T%C5%8Dhoku_earthquake_and_tsunami#Aftershockshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_T%C5%8Dhoku_earthquake_and_tsunami#Aftershockshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_T%C5%8Dhoku_earthquake_and_tsunami#Tsunamihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_T%C5%8Dhoku_earthquake_and_tsunami#Tsunamihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_T%C5%8Dhoku_earthquake_and_tsunami#Japanhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_T%C5%8Dhoku_earthquake_and_tsunami#Japanhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_T%C5%8Dhoku_earthquake_and_tsunami#Elsewhere_across_the_Pacifichttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_T%C5%8Dhoku_earthquake_and_tsunami#Elsewhere_across_the_Pacifichttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_T%C5%8Dhoku_earthquake_and_tsunami#Land_subsidencehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_T%C5%8Dhoku_earthquake_and_tsunami#Land_subsidencehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_T%C5%8Dhoku_earthquake_and_tsunami#Casualtieshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_T%C5%8Dhoku_earthquake_and_tsunami#Casualtieshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_T%C5%8Dhoku_earthquake_and_tsunami#Damage_and_effectshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_T%C5%8Dhoku_earthquake_and_tsunami#Damage_and_effectshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_T%C5%8Dhoku_earthquake_and_tsunami#Nuclear_power_plantshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_T%C5%8Dhoku_earthquake_and_tsunami#Nuclear_power_plantshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_T%C5%8Dhoku_earthquake_and_tsunami#Nuclear_power_plantshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_T%C5%8Dhoku_earthquake_and_tsunami#Damage_and_effectshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_T%C5%8Dhoku_earthquake_and_tsunami#Casualtieshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_T%C5%8Dhoku_earthquake_and_tsunami#Land_subsidencehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_T%C5%8Dhoku_earthquake_and_tsunami#Elsewhere_across_the_Pacifichttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_T%C5%8Dhoku_earthquake_and_tsunami#Japanhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_T%C5%8Dhoku_earthquake_and_tsunami#Tsunamihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_T%C5%8Dhoku_earthquake_and_tsunami#Aftershockshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_T%C5%8Dhoku_earthquake_and_tsunami#Geophysical_impactshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_T%C5%8Dhoku_earthquake_and_tsunami#Energyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_T%C5%8Dhoku_earthquake_and_tsunami#Geologyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_T%C5%8Dhoku_earthquake_and_tsunami#Earthquakehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_T%C5%8Dhoku_earthquake_and_tsunami#cite_note-24http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_yenhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bank_of_Japanhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_T%C5%8Dhoku_earthquake_and_tsunami#cite_note-23http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_T%C5%8Dhoku_earthquake_and_tsunami#cite_note-DW-21http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_T%C5%8Dhoku_earthquake_and_tsunami#cite_note-DW-21http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honshuhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_T%C5%8Dhoku_earthquake_and_tsunami#cite_note-20http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naoto_Kanhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_T%C5%8Dhoku_earthquake_and_tsunami#cite_note-usevac-19http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fukushima_II_Nuclear_Power_Planthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fukushima_I_Nuclear_Power_Planthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fukushima_I_nuclear_accidentshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fukushima_I_nuclear_accidentshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuclear_reactorhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_T%C5%8Dhoku_earthquake_and_tsunami#cite_note-waterfoodheat-18http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_T%C5%8Dhoku_earthquake_and_tsunami#cite_note-roland_buerk-13http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_T%C5%8Dhoku_earthquake_and_tsunami#cite_note-roland_buerk-13http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_T%C5%8Dhoku_earthquake_and_tsunami#cite_note-Template:2011_T.C5.8Dhoku_earthquake_and_tsunami_casualties_NPA-3http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_T%C5%8Dhoku_earthquake_and_tsunami#cite_note-Template:2011_T.C5.8Dhoku_earthquake_and_tsunami_casualties_NPA-3


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5.1.1 Fukushima I and II Nuclear Power Plants

5.1.2 Onagawa Nuclear Power Plant

5.1.3 Tkai Nuclear Power Plant

o 5.2 Portso 5.3 Dam failure

o 5.4 Water

o 5.5 Electricity

o 5.6 Oil, gas and coal

o 5.7 Transport

o 5.8 Telecommunications

o 5.9 Space center

o 5.10 Cultural Properties6 Aftermath

7 Media coverage

8 Scientific and research response

9 See also

10 Footnotes

11 References

12 External links

o 12.1 Tsunami videos

[edit]Earthquake

Map of the Thoku earthquake and aftershocks on March 11. - 14.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_T%C5%8Dhoku_earthquake_and_tsunami#Fukushima_I_and_II_Nuclear_Power_Plantshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_T%C5%8Dhoku_earthquake_and_tsunami#Fukushima_I_and_II_Nuclear_Power_Plantshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_T%C5%8Dhoku_earthquake_and_tsunami#Onagawa_Nuclear_Power_Planthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_T%C5%8Dhoku_earthquake_and_tsunami#Onagawa_Nuclear_Power_Planthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_T%C5%8Dhoku_earthquake_and_tsunami#T.C5.8Dkai_Nuclear_Power_Planthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_T%C5%8Dhoku_earthquake_and_tsunami#T.C5.8Dkai_Nuclear_Power_Planthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_T%C5%8Dhoku_earthquake_and_tsunami#T.C5.8Dkai_Nuclear_Power_Planthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_T%C5%8Dhoku_earthquake_and_tsunami#Portshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_T%C5%8Dhoku_earthquake_and_tsunami#Portshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_T%C5%8Dhoku_earthquake_and_tsunami#Dam_failurehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_T%C5%8Dhoku_earthquake_and_tsunami#Dam_failurehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_T%C5%8Dhoku_earthquake_and_tsunami#Waterhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_T%C5%8Dhoku_earthquake_and_tsunami#Waterhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_T%C5%8Dhoku_earthquake_and_tsunami#Electricityhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_T%C5%8Dhoku_earthquake_and_tsunami#Electricityhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_T%C5%8Dhoku_earthquake_and_tsunami#Oil.2C_gas_and_coalhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_T%C5%8Dhoku_earthquake_and_tsunami#Oil.2C_gas_and_coalhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_T%C5%8Dhoku_earthquake_and_tsunami#Transporthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_T%C5%8Dhoku_earthquake_and_tsunami#Transporthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_T%C5%8Dhoku_earthquake_and_tsunami#Telecommunicationshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_T%C5%8Dhoku_earthquake_and_tsunami#Telecommunicationshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_T%C5%8Dhoku_earthquake_and_tsunami#Space_centerhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_T%C5%8Dhoku_earthquake_and_tsunami#Space_centerhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_T%C5%8Dhoku_earthquake_and_tsunami#Cultural_Propertieshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_T%C5%8Dhoku_earthquake_and_tsunami#Cultural_Propertieshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_T%C5%8Dhoku_earthquake_and_tsunami#Aftermathhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_T%C5%8Dhoku_earthquake_and_tsunami#Aftermathhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_T%C5%8Dhoku_earthquake_and_tsunami#Media_coveragehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_T%C5%8Dhoku_earthquake_and_tsunami#Media_coveragehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_T%C5%8Dhoku_earthquake_and_tsunami#Scientific_and_research_responsehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_T%C5%8Dhoku_earthquake_and_tsunami#Scientific_and_research_responsehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_T%C5%8Dhoku_earthquake_and_tsunami#See_alsohttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_T%C5%8Dhoku_earthquake_and_tsunami#See_alsohttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_T%C5%8Dhoku_earthquake_and_tsunami#Footnoteshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_T%C5%8Dhoku_earthquake_and_tsunami#Footnoteshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_T%C5%8Dhoku_earthquake_and_tsunami#Referenceshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_T%C5%8Dhoku_earthquake_and_tsunami#Referenceshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_T%C5%8Dhoku_earthquake_and_tsunami#External_linkshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_T%C5%8Dhoku_earthquake_and_tsunami#External_linkshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_T%C5%8Dhoku_earthquake_and_tsunami#Tsunami_videoshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_T%C5%8Dhoku_earthquake_and_tsunami#Tsunami_videoshttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=2011_T%C5%8Dhoku_earthquake_and_tsunami&action=edit&section=1http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=2011_T%C5%8Dhoku_earthquake_and_tsunami&action=edit&section=1http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=2011_T%C5%8Dhoku_earthquake_and_tsunami&action=edit&section=1http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Map_of_Sendai_Earthquake_2011.jpghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Map_of_Sendai_Earthquake_2011.jpghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Map_of_Sendai_Earthquake_2011.jpghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Map_of_Sendai_Earthquake_2011.jpghttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=2011_T%C5%8Dhoku_earthquake_and_tsunami&action=edit&section=1http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_T%C5%8Dhoku_earthquake_and_tsunami#Tsunami_videoshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_T%C5%8Dhoku_earthquake_and_tsunami#External_linkshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_T%C5%8Dhoku_earthquake_and_tsunami#Referenceshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_T%C5%8Dhoku_earthquake_and_tsunami#Footnoteshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_T%C5%8Dhoku_earthquake_and_tsunami#See_alsohttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_T%C5%8Dhoku_earthquake_and_tsunami#Scientific_and_research_responsehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_T%C5%8Dhoku_earthquake_and_tsunami#Media_coveragehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_T%C5%8Dhoku_earthquake_and_tsunami#Aftermathhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_T%C5%8Dhoku_earthquake_and_tsunami#Cultural_Propertieshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_T%C5%8Dhoku_earthquake_and_tsunami#Space_centerhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_T%C5%8Dhoku_earthquake_and_tsunami#Telecommunicationshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_T%C5%8Dhoku_earthquake_and_tsunami#Transporthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_T%C5%8Dhoku_earthquake_and_tsunami#Oil.2C_gas_and_coalhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_T%C5%8Dhoku_earthquake_and_tsunami#Electricityhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_T%C5%8Dhoku_earthquake_and_tsunami#Waterhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_T%C5%8Dhoku_earthquake_and_tsunami#Dam_failurehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_T%C5%8Dhoku_earthquake_and_tsunami#Portshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_T%C5%8Dhoku_earthquake_and_tsunami#T.C5.8Dkai_Nuclear_Power_Planthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_T%C5%8Dhoku_earthquake_and_tsunami#Onagawa_Nuclear_Power_Planthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_T%C5%8Dhoku_earthquake_and_tsunami#Fukushima_I_and_II_Nuclear_Power_Plants


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The 9.0-magnitude (MW)underseamegathrust earthquakeoccurred on11 March 2011 at 14:46JST(05:46 UTC) in the western Pacific Oceanat a relatively shallow depth of 32 km (19.9 mi),[25]withitsepicenterapproximately 72 km (45 mi) east of theOshika

PeninsulaofThoku, Japan, lasting approximately six minutes.[1][2]Thenearest major city to the quake wasSendai, on the main islandofHonshu, 130 km (81 mi) away. The quake occurred 373 km (232 mi)from Tokyo.[2]The main earthquake was preceded by a number oflargeforeshocks, and hundreds ofaftershockswere reported. The firstmajor foreshock was a 7.2 MW event on 9 March, approximately 40 km(25 mi) from the location of the 11 March quake, with another three onthe same day in excess of 6.0 MW.

[2][26]Following the quake, a

7.0 MW aftershock was reported at 15:06 JST, followed by a 7.4 at 15:15JST and a 7.2 at 15:26 JST.[27]Over eight hundred aftershocks ofmagnitude 4.5 or greater have occurred since the initial quake.[28]UnitedStates Geological Survey(USGS) directorMarcia McNuttexplained thataftershocks followOmori's Law, might continue for years, and will taperoff in time.[29]

One minute before the earthquake was felt in Tokyo, theEarthquakeEarly Warningsystem, which includes more than 1,000seismometersinJapan, sent out warnings of impending strong shaking to millions. Theearly warning is believed by theJapan Meteorological Agency(JMA) tohave saved many lives.[30][31]

Initially reported as 7.9 MW by the USGS, the magnitude was quicklyupgraded to 8.8, then again to 8.9,[32]and then finally to 9.0.[3][33]

[edit]Geology

This earthquake occurred where thePacific Plateissubductingunder

the plate beneath northern Honshu; which plate is a matter of debate

amongst scientists.[22][34]

The Pacific plate, which moves at a rate of 8 to9 cm (3.1 to 3.5 in) per year, dips under Honshu's underlying platereleasing large amounts of energy. This motion pulls the upper platedown until the stress builds up enough to cause a seismic event. Thebreak caused the sea floor to rise by several meters.[34]A quake of thismagnitude usually has a rupture length of at least 480 km (300 mi) and
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w_Scientist-2http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=2011_T%C5%8Dhoku_earthquake_and_tsunami&action=edit&section=2http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=2011_T%C5%8Dhoku_earthquake_and_tsunami&action=edit&section=2http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=2011_T%C5%8Dhoku_earthquake_and_tsunami&action=edit&section=2http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pacific_Platehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pacific_Platehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pacific_Platehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Subductionhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Subductionhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Subductionhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_T%C5%8Dhoku_earthquake_and_tsunami#cite_note-NYTimes-Chang2011-03-13-22http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_T%C5%8Dhoku_earthquake_and_tsunami#cite_note-NYTimes-Chang2011-03-13-22http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_T%C5%8Dhoku_earthquake_and_tsunami#cite_note-NYTimes-Chang2011-03-13-22http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_T%C5%8Dhoku_earthquake_and_tsunami#cite_note-grauniad-34http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_T%C5%8Dhoku_earthquake_and_tsunami#cite_note-grauniad-34http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_T%C5%8Dhoku_earthquake_and_tsunami#cite_note-grauniad-34http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_T%C5%8Dhoku_earthquake_and_tsunami#cite_note-grauniad-34http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_T%C5%8Dhoku_earthquake_and_tsunami#cite_note-NYTimes-Chang2011-03-13-22http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_T%C5%8Dhoku_earthquake_and_tsunami#cite_note-NYTimes-Chang2011-03-13-22http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Subductionhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pacific_Platehttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=2011_T%C5%8Dhoku_earthquake_and_tsunami&action=edit&section=2http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_T%C5%8Dhoku_earthquake_and_tsunami#cite_note-New_Scientist-2http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_T%C5%8Dhoku_earthquake_and_tsunami#cite_note-New_Scientist-2http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_T%C5%8Dhoku_earthquake_and_tsunami#cite_note-32http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_T%C5%8Dhoku_earthquake_and_tsunami#cite_note-30http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_T%C5%8Dhoku_earthquake_and_tsunami#cite_note-30http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japan_Meteorological_Agencyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seismometerhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earthquake_Early_Warning_(Japan)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earthquake_Early_Warning_(Japan)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_T%C5%8Dhoku_earthquake_and_tsunami#cite_note-CBSMcNutt-29http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aftershocks#Omori.27s_Lawhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marcia_McNutthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Geological_Surveyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Geological_Surveyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_T%C5%8Dhoku_earthquake_and_tsunami#cite_note-28http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_T%C5%8Dhoku_earthquake_and_tsunami#cite_note-27http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_T%C5%8Dhoku_earthquake_and_tsunami#cite_note-USGS9.0-1http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_T%C5%8Dhoku_earthquake_and_tsunami#cite_note-USGS9.0-1http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aftershockhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foreshockhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_T%C5%8Dhoku_earthquake_and_tsunami#cite_note-USGS9.0-1http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honshuhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sendaihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_T%C5%8Dhoku_earthquake_and_tsunami#cite_note-Asahi-ERI-Takashi-0http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_T%C5%8Dhoku_earthquake_and_tsunami#cite_note-Asahi-ERI-Takashi-0http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/T%C5%8Dhoku_regionhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oshika_Peninsulahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oshika_Peninsulahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epicenterhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_T%C5%8Dhoku_earthquake_and_tsunami#cite_note-25http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japan_Standard_Timehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Megathrust_earthquakehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Submarine_earthquakehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moment_magnitude_scalehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moment_magnitude_scale


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generally requires a long, relatively straight fault surface. Because theplate boundary andsubduction zonein the area of the rupture is not verystraight, it is unusual for the magnitude of an earthquake to exceed 8.5;the magnitude of this earthquake was a surprise to some

seismologists.[35]Thehypocentral regionof this earthquake extendedfrom offshoreIwate Prefectureto offshoreIbarakiPrefecture.[36]TheJapanese Meteorological Agencysaid that theearthquake may have ruptured the fault zone from Iwate to Ibaraki with alength of 500 km (310 mi) and a width of 200 km (120 mi).[37][38]Analysisshowed that this earthquake consisted of a set of three events.[39]Theearthquake may have had a mechanism similar to that ofanother largeearthquake in 869with an estimatedsurface wave magnitude (Ms) of

8.6, which also created a large tsunami.

[40]

Other major earthquakes withtsunamis struck theSanriku Coastregionin 1896andin 1933.

The strong ground motion registered at the maximum of 7 on theJapanMeteorological Agency seismic intensity scaleinKurihara,MiyagiPrefecture.[41]Three other prefecturesFukushima,IbarakiandTochigirecorded an upper 6 on the JMA scale.Seismic stations inIwate,Gunma,SaitamaandChibaPrefecturemeasured a lower 6, recording an upper 5 in Tokyo.

[edit]Energy

Damage toTokyo Tower

This earthquake released asurface energy(Me) of1.90.51017joules,[42]dissipated as shaking and tsunamic energy,which is nearly double that of the 9.1-magnitude2004 Indian Ocean
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earthquake and tsunamithat killed 230,000 people. "If we could onlyharness the [surface] energy from this earthquake, it would power [a] citythe size of Los Angeles for an entire year," McNutt said in aninterview.[29]The total energy released, also known as theseismic

moment(M0), was more than 200,000 times the surface energy and wascalculated by the USGS at 3.91022 joules,[43]slightly less than the 2004Indian Ocean quake. This is equivalent to 9,320gigatons of TNT, orapproximately 600 million times the energy of theHiroshima bomb.

Japan's National Research Institute for Earth Science and DisasterPrevention (NIED) calculated apeak ground accelerationof2.99g(29.33 m/s).[44][fn 2]The largest individual recording in Japan was2.7g, in the Miyagi Prefecture, 75 km from the epicentre; the highest

reading in the Tokyo metropolitan area was 0.16g.[47]

[edit]Geophysical impacts

The quake moved portions of northeastern Japan by as much as 2.4 m

(7.9 ft) closer to North America,[21][22]making portions of Japan'slandmass wider than before.[22]Portions of Japan closest to theepicenter experienced the largest shifts.[22]A 400 km (250 mi) stretch ofcoastline dropped vertically by 0.6 m (2.0 ft), allowing the tsunami totravel farther and faster onto land.[22]One early estimate suggested that

the Pacific plate may have moved westwards by up to 20 m(66 ft),[48]and another early estimate put the amount of slippage at asmuch as 40 m (130 ft).[49]On 6 April the Japanese coast guard said thatthe quake shifted the seabed near the epicenter 24 meters (79 ft.) andelevated the seabed off the coast of Miyagi prefecture by 3 meters.[50]

Soil liquefactioninKoto, Tokyo
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thquake_and_tsunami#cite_note-51http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_T%C5%8Dhoku_earthquake_and_tsunami#cite_note-50http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_T%C5%8Dhoku_earthquake_and_tsunami#cite_note-49http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_T%C5%8Dhoku_earthquake_and_tsunami#cite_note-NYTimes-Chang2011-03-13-22http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_T%C5%8Dhoku_earthquake_and_tsunami#cite_note-NYTimes-Chang2011-03-13-22http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_T%C5%8Dhoku_earthquake_and_tsunami#cite_note-NYTimes-Chang2011-03-13-22http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_T%C5%8Dhoku_earthquake_and_tsunami#cite_note-DW-21http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_T%C5%8Dhoku_earthquake_and_tsunami#cite_note-DW-21http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=2011_T%C5%8Dhoku_earthquake_and_tsunami&action=edit&section=4http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_T%C5%8Dhoku_earthquake_and_tsunami#cite_note-48http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_T%C5%8Dhoku_earthquake_and_tsunami#cite_note-44http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_T%C5%8Dhoku_earthquake_and_tsunami#cite_note-44http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/G-forcehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peak_ground_accelerationhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atomic_bombings_of_Hiroshima_and_Nagasakihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TNT_equivalenthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_T%C5%8Dhoku_earthquake_and_tsunami#cite_note-43http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seismic_momenthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seismic_momenthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_T%C5%8Dhoku_earthquake_and_tsunami#cite_note-CBSMcNutt-29http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2004_Indian_Ocean_earthquake_and_tsunami


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The earthquake shifted the Earth'saxisby 25 cm (9.8 in). This deviationled to a number of small planetary changes, including thelength of adayand thetilt of the Earth.[51]The speed of the Earth's rotationincreased, shortening the day by 1.8 microseconds due to the

redistribution of Earth's mass.[52]The axial shift was caused by theredistribution of mass on the Earth's surface, which changed theplanet'smoment of inertia. Because ofconservation of angularmomentum, such changes ofinertiaresult in small changes to theEarth's rate of rotation.[53]These are expected changes[51]for anearthquake of this magnitude.[21][52]

Soil liquefactionwas evident in areas ofreclaimed landaround Tokyo,particularly inUrayasu,[54]Chiba City,Funabashi,Narashino(all inChiba

Prefecture) and in theKoto,Edogawa,Minato,Ch, andtaWards ofTokyo. Approximately 30 homes or buildings were destroyed and 1,046other buildings were damaged to varying degrees.[55]NearbyHaneda

Airport, built mostly on reclaimed land, was not damaged.Odaibaalsoexperienced liquefaction, but damage was minimal.[56]

Shinmoedake, a volcano inKyushu, erupted two days after theearthquake. The volcano had previously erupted in January 2011; it isnot known if the later eruption was linked to the

earthquake.[57]

InAntarctica, the seismic waves from the earthquake werereported to have caused theWhillans Ice Streamto slip by about 0.5 m(1.6 ft).[58]
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tp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whillans_Ice_Streamhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whillans_Ice_Streamhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whillans_Ice_Streamhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_T%C5%8Dhoku_earthquake_and_tsunami#cite_note-59http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_T%C5%8Dhoku_earthquake_and_tsunami#cite_note-59http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_T%C5%8Dhoku_earthquake_and_tsunami#cite_note-59http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Shindomap_2011-03-11_Tohoku_earthquake.pnghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Shindomap_2011-03-11_Tohoku_earthquake.pnghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Shindomap_2011-03-11_Tohoku_earthquake.pnghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Shindomap_2011-03-11_Tohoku_earthquake.pnghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_T%C5%8Dhoku_earthquake_and_tsunami#cite_note-59http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whillans_Ice_Streamhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antarcticahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_T%C5%8Dhoku_earthquake_and_tsunami#cite_note-58http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kyushuhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shinmoedakehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_T%C5%8Dhoku_earthquake_and_tsunami#cite_note-57http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Odaibahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haneda_Airporthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haneda_Airporthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_T%C5%8Dhoku_earthquake_and_tsunami#cite_note-56http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C5%8Cta,_Tokyohttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ch%C5%AB%C5%8D,_Tokyohttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minato,_Tokyohttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edogawa,_Tokyohttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Koto,_Tokyohttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chiba_Prefecturehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chiba_Prefecturehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Narashino,_Chibahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Funabashi,_Chibahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chiba,_Chibahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_T%C5%8Dhoku_earthquake_and_tsunami#cite_note-55http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Urayasu,_Chibahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reclaimed_landhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soil_liquefactionhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_T%C5%8Dhoku_earthquake_and_tsunami#cite_note-DW-21http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_T%C5%8Dhoku_earthquake_and_tsunami#cite_note-DW-21http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_T%C5%8Dhoku_earthquake_and_tsunami#cite_note-Chai-52http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_T%C5%8Dhoku_earthquake_and_tsunami#cite_note-54http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inertiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conservation_of_angular_momentumhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conservation_of_angular_momentumhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moment_of_inertiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_T%C5%8Dhoku_earthquake_and_tsunami#cite_note-day_length-53http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_T%C5%8Dhoku_earthquake_and_tsunami#cite_note-Chai-52http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Axial_tilt#Obliquityhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earth%27s_rotationhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earth%27s_rotationhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rotation_around_a_fixed_axis


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Map based on the earthquake's Japan Meteorological Agency seismic intensity scale

The first sign international researchers had that the earthquake causedsuch a dramatic change in the Earths rotation came from the UnitedStates Geographical Survey which monitors Global Positioning Satellitestations across the world. The Survey team had several GPS monitorslocated near the scene of the earthquake, and one was directly in theepicenter. The GPS station located in the epicenter proved that Japanhad gotten at least thirteen feet wider as a result of the splitting of theEarth. This motivated government researchers to look into other waysthe earthquake may have had large scale effects on the planet.Scientists at NASAs Jet Propulsion Laboratory did some calculationsand determined that the Earths rotation was changed by the earthquake

to the point where the days are now one point eight microsecondsshorter. In practice, this length of time is essentially meaningless. Nohuman being can tell that their day was shorter by less than twomicroseconds. However, scientists are fascinated with this finding, andbelieve that it could be important in other ways.[59]

One way the earthquake and its effects on the Earths rotation and timeof day is important was explained by Dr. Richard Gross, one of the head

researchers working for NASA. Gross explained that even a difference ofone point eight microseconds is important to his team, because it effectsthe way that spacecraft being sent to Mars are navigated. If the changeswere not noted and accounted for, there is a great chance that the spacemissions would fail and millions of dollars would be wasted on the cuttingedge technology. Gross noted that the way the Earth rotates is not verysmooth; he related the way the Earth moves to an old car wobbling on itsaxle. The earthquake was similar to if a person took a hammer and

whacked the cars axle, causing it to shift and the car to drive differently.This is what occurred with the earthquake in Japan. The powerfulearthquake was the hammer hitting the Earths axle, caus ing it to spin ina slightly different way.[60]

[edit]Aftershocks
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Further information:List of foreshocks and aftershocks of the 2011

Thoku earthquake

Japan experienced over 900 aftershocks since the earthquake withabout 60 being over 6.0 M and three over 7.0 M. A 7.7 M and a 7.9 Mquake occurred on March 11[61]and thethird oneon 7 April 2011, with adisputed magnitude. Its epicenter was underwater, 66 km (41 mi) off thecoast of Sendai. TheJapan Meteorological Agencyassigned amagnitude of 7.4, while theU.S. Geological Surveylowered it to7.1.[62]At least four people were killed, and electricity was cut off acrossmuch of northern Japan including the loss of external powertoHigashidori Nuclear Power PlantandRokkasho ReprocessingPlant.[63][64][65]

[edit]Tsunami

Energy map of the tsunami fromNOAA

The earthquake which was caused by 5 to 8 meters upthrust on 180-kmwide seabed at 60 km offshore from the east coast of Thoku[66]resultedin a majortsunamiwhich brought destruction along thePacificcoastlineof Japan's northern islands and resulted in the loss of thousands of livesand devastated entire towns. The tsunami propagated across thePacific, and warnings were issued and evacuations carried out. In many

countries bordering the Pacific, including the entire Pacific coast of Northand South America fromAlaskatoChile;[67][68][69]however, while thetsunami was felt in many of these places, it caused only relatively minoreffects. Chile's section of Pacific coast is one of the furthest from Japan,at about 17,000 km (11,000 mi) away,[70]but still was struck by tsunami
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ttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Higashidori_Nuclear_Power_Planthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_T%C5%8Dhoku_earthquake_and_tsunami#cite_note-63http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U.S._Geological_Surveyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japan_Meteorological_Agencyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_Miyagi_earthquakehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_T%C5%8Dhoku_earthquake_and_tsunami#cite_note-62http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_foreshocks_and_aftershocks_of_the_2011_T%C5%8Dhoku_earthquakehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_foreshocks_and_aftershocks_of_the_2011_T%C5%8Dhoku_earthquake


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waves 2 m (6.6 ft) high.[71][72]A wave height of 37.9 meters (124 ft) wasestimated atTar, Iwate.[73]

[edit]Japan

The tsunami warning issued by theJapan Meteorological Agencywasthe most serious on its warning scale; it rated as a "major tsunami",being at least 3 m (9.8 ft) high.[74]The actual height predicted varied, thegreatest being for Miyagi at 10 m (33 ft) high.[75]The tsunami inundateda total area of approximately 470 km2 (181.5 sq mi) in Japan.[76]

Water column height on 11 March 2011 atDARTStation, 690 NM Southeast of Tokyo

The earthquake took place at 14:46 JST around 67 km (42 mi) from thenearest point on Japan's coastline, and initial estimates indicated thetsunami would have taken 10 to 30 minutes to reach the areas first

affected, and then areas farther north and south based on the geographyof the coastline.[77][78]Just over an hour after the earthquake at 15:55JST, a tsunami was observed floodingSendai Airport, which is locatednear the coast ofMiyagi Prefecture,[79][80]with waves sweeping awaycars and planes and flooding various buildings as they traveledinland.[81][82]The impact of the tsunami in and around Sendai Airport wasfilmed by anNHKNews helicopter, showing a number of vehicles onlocal roads trying to escape the approaching wave and being engulfedby it.[83]A 4 m high tsunami hitIwate Prefecture.[84]WakabayashiWardin Sendai was also particularly hard hit.[85]At least 101 designatedtsunami evacuation sites were hit by the wave.[86]

Like the2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami, the damage bysurging water, though much more localized, was far more deadly anddestructive than the actual quake. There were reports of entire towns
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