3. Earthquakes 3. Read the news article below and answer the questions that follow. Earthquake: Two dead after Japan hit by tremor
A powerful earthquake of magnitude 7.4 hit north-east Japan on 16th March 2022, leaving two people dead and 160 injured.
Two million homes suffered power outage and a train derailed, but none of its passengers were hurt. Passengers and staff were trapped for four hours on board before being able to escape. A number of people across north- eastern Japan were hurt by falling objects or in falls.
Fukushima
Epicentre of earthquake
Tokyo JAPAN
Immediately after the event, an advisory warning for tsunami waves was issued. People were also urged to remain vigilant over the risk of mudslides. Electricity to more than 2.2 million homes was temporarily cut but by mid-morning power had been restored to most places, the local electricity provider said. Many businesses had to temporarily close down. Buildings in Tokyo shook and swayed for more than two minutes. Japan’s Air Self-Defense Force sent fighter jets to assess the damage to the area.
Exam hint!
When presented with a news article in the exam, read it carefully and highlight any key words. The information required for the initial questions will typically be found within the article. The longer questions will test your geographical knowledge of the topic and generally carry more marks.
(a) What was the magnitude of the earthquake that occurred in Japan on 16 March 2022? (b) Where was the epicentre of the earthquake located? (c) List one social and one economic impact of the earthquake for the area impacted.
(d) According to the article, ‘An advisory warning for tsunami waves was issued’. Describe, with the aid of a labelled diagram, how a tsunami wave forms.
(e) Imagine you are a journalist sent to visit the site of an earthquake that you have studied.
(i) Name the earthquake studied and state where and when it occurred. (ii) Write a brief report describing some of the negative impacts of the earthquake. (iii) Outline the response to this natural disaster.