icon-background-square
New
New
Year 10
AQA

An example of effects and responses to a tectonic hazard in an HIC

I can used a named example to discuss the effects and responses to a tectonic hazard in an HIC.

icon-background-square
New
New
Year 10
AQA

An example of effects and responses to a tectonic hazard in an HIC

I can used a named example to discuss the effects and responses to a tectonic hazard in an HIC.

warning

These resources will be removed by end of Summer Term 2025.

Switch to our new teaching resources now - designed by teachers and leading subject experts, and tested in classrooms.

Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. In March 2011, a massive 9.0 magnitude earthquake shook the Japanese island of Honshu.
  2. Sudden slippage occurred along a destructive plate margin between the Pacific plate and the Okhotsk plate.
  3. Primary and secondary effects of the disaster caused the deaths of more than 18 000 people.
  4. Japan's position as an HIC influenced its immediate and long-term responses and their effectiveness.

Keywords

  • Magnitude - a measure of the energy released by an earthquake

  • Epicentre - the point on Earth's surface that is directly above where an earthquake happens underground

Common misconception

The earthquake caused most of the destruction in the 2011 Tohuku disaster.

While the magnitude 9.0 earthquake was powerful, Japan’s strict building regulations meant that most modern buildings withstood the shaking. It was the 10-metre-high tsunami that caused the majory of the destruction.


To help you plan your year 10 geography lesson on: An example of effects and responses to a tectonic hazard in an HIC, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...

There is a range of very useful layers relating to the Tohoku earthquake and tsunami in the ArcGIS online Map Viewer, which can be accessed with or without a log-in.
speech-bubble
Teacher tip
equipment-required

Equipment

content-guidance

Content guidance

  • Depiction or discussion of violence or suffering
supervision-level

Supervision

Adult supervision required

copyright

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2025), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Lesson video

Loading...

6 Questions

Q1.
Which of the following is an example of a tectonic hazard?
Hurricanes
Correct answer: Earthquakes
Flooding
Tornadoes
Q2.
What is the primary cause of earthquakes?
Wind
Solar energy
Correct answer: Tectonic plate movements
Ocean currents
Q3.
Which type of plate boundary is most commonly associated with volcanic eruptions?
Transform
Divergent
Correct answer: Convergent
Lateral
Q4.
Which of the following is a primary effect of an earthquake?
Landslides
Tsunami
Correct answer: Building collapse
Increased migration
Q5.
What is the name of the point on Earth's surface directly above an earthquake's origin?
Crust
Rift
Focus
Correct answer: Epicentre
Q6.
What type of volcano is characterised by gentle slopes and is primarily formed by basaltic lava flows?
Stratovolcano
Correct answer: Shield volcano
Cinder cone
Caldera

4 Questions

Q1.
Which high-income country (HIC) experienced a major earthquake in 2011?
Correct answer: Japan
Italy
Chile
Turkey
Q2.
What is one of the primary impacts of an earthquake in a HIC?
Limited access to medical care
Immediate drought and food shortage
Correct answer: Loss of life, damage to buildings and infrastructure
Increased migration
Q3.
What was the primary cause of most of the destruction in the 2011 Tōhoku disaster?
The earthquake alone
Correct answer: The tsunami triggered by the earthquake
Aftershocks from the earthquake
The volcanic eruption
Q4.
Which of the following is a secondary effect of an earthquake in a HIC?
Improved international relations
Immediate increase in agricultural production
Decrease in population density
Correct answer: Tsunamis and fires

Additional material

Download additional material