The Great East Japan Earthquake (GEJE) is a devastating disaster that took place on March 11, 2011 off the coast of Honshu Island. A magnitude 9.0 earthquake was consequently followed by a series of other disastrous events, including a tsunami and a nuclear incident. In the aftermaths of the disaster, recovery in affected regions was negatively impacted by inadequate water supply. Local officials have made great efforts to improve the region’s water supply system since the disaster.
In this brief, Ali concludes that although planning and prevention are very important during a disaster, preparedness is crucial; those working in disaster recovery management should use a mixture of all three approaches in order to manage disasters effectively. Ali points out that GEJE demonstrates how a combination of improvements in infrastructure, risk management technology, as well as the implementation of disaster drills and business continuity planning practices helped Japan to build back better following the disaster.