Earthquake

Sendai, Japan
An 8.9 magnitude earthquake took place on 11th March 2011. The earthquake and the tsumani it caused massive devastation.

Information from the United States Geological Survey

Wikipedia information about the Sendai quake

How earthquakes trigger tsunamis BBC News, Science and Environment

Christchurch, New Zealand
Two large earthquakes affected the city of Christchurch and surrounding region of Canterbury, in September 2010and February 2011.

This links to a learning resource which will help you to carry out an inquiry into an issue relating the Christchurch quake

What are earthquakes?
Earthquakes are powerful and dangerous natural events. They are triggered by the movement of huge piece of the Earth's crust called tectonic plates. The earthquake shakes the rocks in the Earth's crust.

What does the magnitude of an earthquake mean?
This link explains the background to the Richter scale and other measurements of earthquakes