Preliminary observations on the Japanese 3/11 earthquake and tsunami

This article, from a Professor of Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government, assesses the impacts of the recent earthquake and tsunami that struck Japan, highlighting the success of the seismic damage mitigation efforts through strong building codes.

It describes: (i) the earthquake; (ii) the tsunami; and (iii) the related fires that occurred following the earthquake; as well as (iv) the safety and integrity of nuclear power plants. Most importantly, it analyses (v) the advance mitigation efforts of Japan; (vi) the ongoing rescue effort; and the following (vii) psychological trauma and (viii) recovery phase. Finally, it analyses (ix) the risks of similar events in the United States.