Geoscience Reference
In-Depth Information
Figure 4. Time-history of casualties for Great East Japan event (Adapted from World
Health Organization 2011)
1.3.5InfrastructureConsequences
Immediately after the disaster, water supply, food, and electricity became primary
concerns for public health officials and for search, rescue and recovery efforts. At the
height of the water supply disruption between March 15 and 16, 187 municipalities
and over 1.6 million households experienced water service outages. These numbers
declined to 53 municipalities and about 250,000 households by April 7, when
aftershocks caused additional water outages. On July 12, the count stood at 26
municipalities and about 48,000 households. Houses destroyed by tsunami accounted
for most of the remaining outages. The Japanese Consumers' Co-operation Union, in
cooperation with other co-ops across the country, delivered emergency relief supplies
to support the affected areas (MHLW, 2011). As of April 6th, over 1,700,000 items
of water, food, and blankets had been distributed. Regional co-ops also provided fuel,
oil and kerosene and carried out fund-raising activities (JCCU, 2011)
Rolling electricity blackouts, instituted because of earthquake and tsunami damage to
the power grid and the Fukushima nuclear power plants started on March 14 and, as
of this writing, continue to affect Japan especially in the Kanto region. After the
Fukushima disaster, nine nuclear plants affected by the earthquake and tsunami,
producing 8.8 Gigawatts (GW) of power, remain offline. Seventeen of Japan's fifty
nuclear plants are operating and producing 15.5 GW. Japan's total production
capacity generates approximately 270 GW with a nuclear capacity of 44.4 GW.
Barclays Capital estimated that energy blackouts could reduce Japan's gross domestic
product by as much as $60 billion U.S. (Bennett 2011).
In addition to considerations of food, water, and power, housing and many other
infrastructure elements in Japan sustained a high level of damage (see summary,
Table 4). Ports, vessels, and coastal protection structures also sustained considerable
damage. Subsequent sections of this document address some of these damages.
 
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