Differences Between the Haitian and Japanese Earthquakes

The Haitian earthquake was a magnitude of 7.0 that occured at a depth of 8.1 miles, whereas the Japanese earthquake was a magnitude of 9.0 that occured at a depth of 19.9 miles below the sea bed. While the seismic activity is comparable, the affect of the earthquakes on Haiti and Japan were significantly different due to the tremors' location. The major difference between the two is the devastating 30-foot tsunami that was triggered by the Japanese earthquake. The seismic activity that caused the Haitian earthquake was centered under a mass of land, so the shift in the sea floor was less dramatic and only a few beaches were hit by moderately-sized waves.

Another major difference between the two is the death toll. Haiti experienced a 7.0-magnitude earthquake with a death toll totaling over 230,000. Japan suffered a 9.0-magnitude quake with a death toll of 14,000 thus far. Although there are still over 10,000 people missing in Japan, the death toll will more than likely not rise above 20,000. The Japanese quake happened in one of the wealthiest countries in the world, whereas the Haitian earthquake happened in one of the poorest. The Japanese have a long history of earthquakes and tsunamis and the government long ago established national guidelines for building construction quality. Japan had the money and power to do so, hence why such a dramatic difference in infrastructure damage in the aftermath of the two earthquakes. In Haiti, sub-standard building quality was a major source of casualty. While the vast majority of deaths in Japan were due to the tsunami. The number of people killed by collapsed buildings in Haiti is over 200,000.

David Meltzer, senior VP of International Services for the American Red Cross, stated, "the difference between the aftermath of earthquakes in Japan and Haiti comes down to those countries’ resources before disaster strikes." Japan's 9.0-magnitude earthquake and resulting tsunami devastated much of the country, but the Japanese Red Cross has 2 million volunteers and tens of thousands of employees. The Haitian Red Cross has fewer than 10,000 volunteers and 100 employees. Although the Japanese Red Cross has not asked for international aid, they will accept offers.

Before the Haitian earthquake on January 12, 2010, more than 70% of Haitians lived on less than $2 a day. 47% of the population were illiterate, 30% had no access to safe drinking water, and 80% had no access to the proper sanitation. Before the quake, the country had 2.5 doctors for every 10,000 Haitians. Following the quake, 1.5 million Haitians were instantly left homeless. Their homes and other buildings crumbled into 706 million cubic feet of rubble.

Sources:
GameAid. (2011). The differences between the aftermath of the earthquakes in Haiti and Japan.
http://gameaid.org/2011/03/17/the-differences-between-the-aftermath-of-the-earthquakes-in-haiti-and-japan/

Gooddell, A. (2011). American Red Cross official compares Japan with Haiti.
The Holland Sentinel.
http://www.hollandsentinel.com/feature/x13277978/American-Red-Cross-official-compares-Japan-with-Haiti

Quentin, W. (2011). A comparison between the Japanese and the Haitian earthquakes.
http://quentinhuon.wordpress.com/2011/03/12/a-comparison-between-the-japanese-and-the-haitian-earthquakes/

March 11, 2011

A 9.0-magnitude earthquake rocked Japan on Friday, March 11, 2011. The quake hit off the coast of Honshu, roughly 230 miles northeast of Tokyo. It triggered a 30-foot tsunami wave that swept away boats, cars, homes, and took thousands of lives. The tsunami was followed by more than 50 aftershocks, many of which were 6.0-magnitude or higher. The death toll is now over 14,000 and rising everyday, with over 5,000 injured and roughly 11,000 people still missing.

125,000 buildings were either damaged or destroyed. The quake caused extensive structural damage to Japan, including heavy damage to railways and roads, as well as fires in many areas. Over 4 million households were left without electricity and 1.5 million without water. This was the most powerful earthquake in Japanese history. The quake moved Honshu 7.9 feet east, and shifted the Earth on it's axis roughly 3.9 inches. Japanese Prime Minister, Naoto Kan, said, "In the 65 years after the end of World War II, this is the toughest and the most difficult crisis for Japan." The Japanese government said the cost of the earthquake and tsunami that devastated the northeast could reach $309 billion, making it the most expensive natural disaster on record.

A significant problem the earthquake created were the nuclear power plant meltdown threats. Japan declared states of emergency for five nuclear reactors at two power plants after the units lost cooling ability in the aftermath of Friday's powerful earthquake. Nuclear plants need power to operate motors, valves, and instruments that control the systems that provide cooling water to the radioactive core. The power was shutdown due to the quake, and about an hour after the plant shut down, the emergency diesel generators stopped, leaving the units with no power for cooling, similar to what happened in the Chernobyl incident. Thousands of residents were evacuated as workers struggled to get the reactors under control to prevent meltdowns. The plants began venting radioactive vapors from the unit to relieve pressure inside the reactor. It is rumored that experts have downplayed the trace amounts of radiation that were released into the atmosphere around the Fukushima Daiichi plant.

Sources:
MSNBC. (2011). Meltdown possible at Japan nuclear power plant.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/42025882/ns/world_news-asiapacific/

USGS. (2011). Earthquake details.
http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/eqinthenews/2011/usc0001xgp/

Huffington Post. (2011). Japan Earthquake 2011: 8.9 Magnitude Earthquake Hits, 30-Foot Tsunami Triggered.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/03/11/japan-earthquake-tsunami_n_834380.html