Japan Earthquake

Post by **adam2** » 12 Mar 2011, 14:47

This thread contained many posts about the damage to nuclear power reactors. In view of the importance of this subject, I have moved such posts to a new thread in the nuclear forum. Feel free to add or comment on the effects to nuclear power in that thread. Remarks regarding the earthqaukes in general, and the human costs, and effects on the wider world should continue here.

Post by **adam2** » 12 Mar 2011, 15:12

vtsnowedin wrote:As Japan is the worlds third largest economy and globalization has tied every economy together this is a major blow to the worlds economy. Is this disaster ,as huge as it apparently is, a blow so severe that an already fragile world will tip over an edge concerning food, energy, and finances?
Everybody is pledging help but who can afford to give anything like what it will take to repair the damage and get Japan back on it's feet.

I fear that there will be a substantial adverse effect on the world economy.
The Japanese economy has never properly recovered from the last bad earthqauke, and this one has been far more destructive.
Insurers worldwide will feel the pain and will have to increase premiums.
Considerable agricultural production has no doubt been lost, along with stocks of processed foods that have spoiled from lack of refirgeration.
Natural gas prices will probably rise as Japan imports more to cover the shortfall from damaged or suspected to be damaged nuclear plants.
Some Japenese firms that were already loss making may find it unworthwhile to rebuild, contributing to unemployment which was already a problem.
Many citizens who have lost everything will be unable to repay loans or mortagages. This could lead to banking failures.

biffvernon · Post by **biffvernon** » 12 Mar 2011, 16:32

Three hour rotating power cuts are to be imposed across Japan to save power.

Kieran · Post by **Kieran** » 12 Mar 2011, 21:29

http://www.physorg.com/news/2011-03-qua ... perts.html

"Seismologists were crunching data Friday to figure out if the magnitude 8.9 quake that rocked Japan increased the chances of a mega-quake hitting the Tokyo basin, home to 30 million people.

The Japanese government's Earthquake Research Committee has long warned that Tokyo faces a serious risk of a major quake -- 8.0 or higher -- in the coming decades.
Japan is still haunted by the "Big One" that devastated its capital in 1923 and left more than 140,000 dead. The 1995 Kobe quake, which claimed 6,400 lives, added to this ever-present fear.
Experts said it was too soon to know if the tectonic upheaval that shook northeast Japan Friday and unleashed a 10-metre (33-foot) tsunami put Tokyo at greater risk.
It could even reduce the odds of a killer quake hitting the capital.
"That is going to be hotly debated in the scientific community," said Jochen Woessner, a seismologist with the Swiss Seismological Service in Zurich.
But -- one way or the other -- it is almost sure to have an impact, experts agree."

Article continues...

stumuzz · Post by **stumuzz** » 13 Mar 2011, 06:39

Amazingly, I have just heard of this now (been in France for a few days no tv or Internet ) poor people. Did i hear correctly that a refinary has blown up? Will this cause a shortage of refined products worldwide?

Post by **clv101** » 13 Mar 2011, 07:29

This is one of the most incredible photos I've seen:

biffvernon · Post by **biffvernon** » 13 Mar 2011, 08:42

Water, caught in the act of finding its own level.

Post by **adam2** » 13 Mar 2011, 09:01

stumuzz wrote:Amazingly, I have just heard of this now (been in France for a few days no tv or Internet ) poor people. Did i hear correctly that a refinary has blown up? Will this cause a shortage of refined products worldwide?

An oil refinery has indeed been blown up, not totally but enough to put it out of use for a while.
I doubt that this will lead to worldwide shortages of refined product as the present high price has slightly reduced demand, many refineries elswhere are running at reduced capacity.
There may be shortages within Japan because the disaster has seriously damaged ports, railways, and roads thereby impeding import and distribution of oil products.

biffvernon · Post by **biffvernon** » 13 Mar 2011, 09:20

Petrol stations are rationing drivers to 20 litres per fill up so that knocks demand.

Aurora · Post by **Aurora** » 13 Mar 2011, 09:48

This image took my breath away:

Aurora · Post by **Aurora** » 13 Mar 2011, 10:22

BBC News - 13/03/11

Newly emerged footage shows the force at which the tsunami struck Japan's coast.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-12725646

Erik · Post by **Erik** » 13 Mar 2011, 10:38

adam2 wrote:
stumuzz wrote:Amazingly, I have just heard of this now (been in France for a few days no tv or Internet ) poor people. Did i hear correctly that a refinary has blown up? Will this cause a shortage of refined products worldwide?
An oil refinery has indeed been blown up, not totally but enough to put it out of use for a while.
[...]
There may be shortages within Japan because the disaster has seriously damaged ports, railways, and roads thereby impeding import and distribution of oil products.

Not to mention the quite literal demand destruction that has occurred: all those thousands of wrecked cars won't be needing any refined products anymore and, it's a dreadful thought, but neither will the (possibly) 10,000 victims.

biffvernon · Post by **biffvernon** » 13 Mar 2011, 10:45

So will the catastrophe stimulate economic activity into a frenzy of rebuilding and thus increase demand for oil or push the already fragile Japanese economy into another long term recession which spreads throughout the world to greater effect than the 2008 financial blip?

jonny2mad · Post by **jonny2mad** » 13 Mar 2011, 13:07

Listening to the reports of survivors as soon as they felt the earthquake they got into cars and drove to high ground didn't wait to pack up belongings just went .
Also in some of the film you can see cars being driven away some made it some didn't, I live in a seaside town and you do consider how fast you could get to high ground or really substantial concrete buildings

Aurora · Post by **Aurora** » 13 Mar 2011, 13:10

Sydney Morning Herald - 14/03/11

NORTH-EASTERN Japan can expect another monster earthquake large enough to trigger a tsunami within days, the head of the Australian Seismological Centre says.

The director, Kevin McCue, said while there had been more than 100 smaller quakes since Friday's devastation, it was likely a larger aftershock was still to come.

''Normally they happen within days,'' he said. ''The rule of thumb is that you would expect the main aftershock to be one magnitude smaller than the main shock, so you would be expecting a 7.9.

''That's a monster again in its own right that is capable of producing a tsunami and more damage.''

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