A Lesson from the 2011 Tohoku Earthquake – The Necessity for Collaboration and Dialog Among Natural Scientists, Engineers, Social Scientists, Government Agencies, and the General Public

Abstract

The March 11th, 2011 Tohoku earthquake and subsequent tsunami caused great damage over a large region of North-Eastern portion of Japan. The magnitude of the event was not predicted and thus found Japan unprepared, especially for the effects of the tsunami. This article is a summary of observation of damage and disruption based primarily on the information available within 3 months after the disaster. Also presented are the lessons that the authors believe have been learned and should be shared within the international community of earthquake disaster mitigation researchers and practitioners. The major issues discussed are the ground motion, tsunami, building damage, and post-event response. Recent research efforts in response to the disaster are also touched upon briefly.