0:00:02 > 0:00:04On today's Fierce Earth, earthquakes!
0:00:05 > 0:00:08We train with an international rescue team...
0:00:08 > 0:00:10All right, here we go.
0:00:12 > 0:00:14All right, we're coming for you.
0:00:14 > 0:00:17..climb through the folds of the earth...
0:00:17 > 0:00:20Right, that was the easy bit, now we've got to get out of here.
0:00:21 > 0:00:26..and find out how one hi-tech city is preparing for the big one.
0:00:26 > 0:00:28It is incredible force!
0:00:31 > 0:00:36What happens when the ground shakes, the seas rise up
0:00:36 > 0:00:38and the air tears itself apart?
0:00:39 > 0:00:41The Fierce Earth team move in,
0:00:41 > 0:00:43taking on the most powerful forces on the planet.
0:00:59 > 0:01:02Get ready for Fierce Earth.
0:01:02 > 0:01:04The Earth, and how to survive it.
0:01:06 > 0:01:07Earthquakes.
0:01:07 > 0:01:12Falling buildings, cracks in the earth, disaster movies.
0:01:12 > 0:01:15In reality, the earth is always shifting,
0:01:15 > 0:01:18and there are thousands of tiny quakes every single day.
0:01:19 > 0:01:21Even in countries like the UK,
0:01:21 > 0:01:24there are tiny tremors that nobody even notices.
0:01:24 > 0:01:27But when a big one hits, everybody knows about it.
0:01:29 > 0:01:31Quakes are caused by plate tectonics,
0:01:31 > 0:01:35the large-scale motion of the Earth's outer layer.
0:01:35 > 0:01:37The inside is hot and toffee-like,
0:01:37 > 0:01:40but the outside, where we live, is cool.
0:01:40 > 0:01:44It's made up of giant rocky slabs called plates that float on top of
0:01:44 > 0:01:47the underlying hot rock like a huge jigsaw puzzle.
0:01:47 > 0:01:51The plates move very slowly, just centimetres a year.
0:01:51 > 0:01:55As they rub together along the edges, which we call faults,
0:01:55 > 0:01:57they create the seismic tremors that cause earthquakes.
0:01:58 > 0:02:00Some of the biggest cities on the planet
0:02:00 > 0:02:02are located on or near faults.
0:02:06 > 0:02:08I'm in Japan with Zoe to find out
0:02:08 > 0:02:11how you survive life in the earthquake zone.
0:02:13 > 0:02:17Endless Neon. Skyscraper canyons.
0:02:17 > 0:02:20The beating heart of an entire island nation.
0:02:20 > 0:02:23This is Tokyo, the capital of Japan.
0:02:23 > 0:02:26More people live here than any other city in the world,
0:02:26 > 0:02:28almost 32 million of them.
0:02:28 > 0:02:32And they live here, despite the fact that a huge earthquake
0:02:32 > 0:02:33could strike at any time.
0:02:37 > 0:02:40Japan is one of the most quake-prone countries on our planet,
0:02:40 > 0:02:42and Tokyo is in one of it's most dangerous areas,
0:02:42 > 0:02:46and that's because it lies on a tectonic crossroads.
0:02:46 > 0:02:50'Zoe and I are going to show you how those slow-moving tectonic plates'
0:02:50 > 0:02:52'can build up such fierce power.'
0:03:01 > 0:03:04Imagine we are two, continent-sized tectonic plates.
0:03:04 > 0:03:08They push and push against each other, for millions of years,
0:03:08 > 0:03:10and nothing happens. But...
0:03:10 > 0:03:14The pressure builds and builds until eventually one plate gives way.
0:03:14 > 0:03:17And it's that release of pressure that sets off an earthquake,
0:03:17 > 0:03:20sending seismic waves through the crust and that can have
0:03:20 > 0:03:23a devastating effect on the tiny human beings that live on top.
0:03:24 > 0:03:27There are actually four plates jostling for position
0:03:27 > 0:03:29on Japan's tectonic crossroads,
0:03:29 > 0:03:33and over 1,500 earthquakes hit the country every year.
0:03:33 > 0:03:36Here are three of the most significant in Japan's history.
0:03:38 > 0:03:43The Kanto quake of 1923 was the most deadly ever to hit Japan.
0:03:43 > 0:03:46It wasn't the biggest, but ten minutes of tremors
0:03:46 > 0:03:49caused many poorly-constructed buildings to collapse.
0:03:49 > 0:03:52Nearly 143,000 people lost their lives.
0:03:54 > 0:03:58The Hoei earthquake of 1707 is believed the have been connected
0:03:58 > 0:04:01with Volcanic eruptions of the usually peaceful Mount Fuji.
0:04:04 > 0:04:09The most powerful earthquake ever in the Japan area struck in 2011,
0:04:09 > 0:04:11undersea, just off the coast.
0:04:11 > 0:04:16Over 30,000 perished, but not because of the quake itself.
0:04:16 > 0:04:19The sudden shift in the seabed pushed a huge amount of sea water
0:04:19 > 0:04:23towards Japan, which hit the coast as a devastating tsunami.
0:04:26 > 0:04:30For the Japanese, earthquakes are all part of everyday life.
0:04:32 > 0:04:33TRANSLATION: There are many quakes,
0:04:33 > 0:04:36but I don't worry that much because...
0:04:36 > 0:04:37We're used to it.
0:04:37 > 0:04:40Yeah, we are used to it. If there's a small tremor we don't panic.
0:04:41 > 0:04:45Tokyo is one of the most at-risk cities on the planet...
0:04:45 > 0:04:47SIREN WAILS
0:04:47 > 0:04:49..but it's also the most prepared.
0:04:49 > 0:04:53Monthly drills across the city make sure that all schoolchildren
0:04:53 > 0:04:55know what to do in an emergency.
0:04:55 > 0:04:57TRANSLATION: If the real quake comes,
0:04:57 > 0:05:00and I do exactly the same as in the drill,
0:05:00 > 0:05:01then we can protect ourselves.
0:05:05 > 0:05:09TRANSLATION: In my rucksack, I have earthquake survival gear.
0:05:09 > 0:05:11Children carry fold out helmets
0:05:11 > 0:05:14that help protect them from falling debris.
0:05:14 > 0:05:19When the alarm sounds, it's time to drop, cover, and hold on.
0:05:19 > 0:05:22Drills are a serious business.
0:05:22 > 0:05:25For Tokyo children, sometimes the earthquakes are real.
0:05:27 > 0:05:31TRANSLATION: I was in the science lab when the earthquake struck.
0:05:31 > 0:05:34The glass bottles were shaking and making a noise and that was scary.
0:05:37 > 0:05:40In the beginning I didn't know what was going on,
0:05:40 > 0:05:42but some of the older children started to cry
0:05:42 > 0:05:44so I realised something scary was going on.
0:05:47 > 0:05:49It's frightening because you don't know when it's coming.
0:05:51 > 0:05:55Scientists are now able to predict earthquakes by detecting tiny tremors
0:05:55 > 0:05:57from plate tectonic movements.
0:05:57 > 0:06:00In Japan, you can even receive early warnings on your mobile phone.
0:06:02 > 0:06:03Anything that helps you stay calm
0:06:03 > 0:06:05when a real quake strikes is a good thing.
0:06:07 > 0:06:10And that's where earthquake simulators come in.
0:06:10 > 0:06:14Tokyo citizens can experience the shaking and disorientation
0:06:14 > 0:06:16of a major quake in total safety.
0:06:17 > 0:06:20In order to fully understand what a real earthquake is like,
0:06:20 > 0:06:24I have come to an earthquake shaking table in Tokyo.
0:06:24 > 0:06:28And I have been given, what I can only describe as an earthquake menu.
0:06:28 > 0:06:31And it has a list of a number of different earthquakes
0:06:31 > 0:06:32through Japanese history.
0:06:32 > 0:06:38So my choice is a 1923, a Tokyo earthquake with a 7.9 magnitude.
0:06:39 > 0:06:43Quakes are measured on the moment magnitude scale,
0:06:43 > 0:06:46with 1 being tiny and 9 being huge.
0:06:46 > 0:06:48For each step on the scale,
0:06:48 > 0:06:51the energy released increases by a factor of 30,
0:06:51 > 0:06:56so a quake rated 8 is 30 times more violent than one rated 7.
0:06:58 > 0:07:00So I hear an earthquake,
0:07:00 > 0:07:04I've got to get down, get cover and hold on.
0:07:05 > 0:07:07Wow.
0:07:08 > 0:07:10That is incredible force.
0:07:12 > 0:07:14This would be really terrifying if you were in your own place.
0:07:16 > 0:07:18'So that's a 7.9 magnitude earthquake.'
0:07:19 > 0:07:23'But scientists think a future Tokyo quake could be massive.'
0:07:23 > 0:07:25'Here goes a magnitude 9.'
0:07:30 > 0:07:32I'm finding it hard to hold on!
0:07:35 > 0:07:36Things have fallen down.
0:07:38 > 0:07:39Wow, that was...
0:07:42 > 0:07:43OK.
0:07:43 > 0:07:49That was short, sharp, intense earthquake simulation.
0:07:49 > 0:07:51I would not want to be around
0:07:51 > 0:07:54when a real earthquake of that magnitude hits.
0:07:54 > 0:07:55Well done, Dougal.
0:07:55 > 0:07:58But the quake itself might only be the beginning of your problems.
0:07:58 > 0:08:02Afterwards, you could be walking out into a disaster zone.
0:08:02 > 0:08:06The Japanese are preparing for this as well.
0:08:06 > 0:08:08There are plans to transport survivors of an earthquake
0:08:08 > 0:08:12in central Tokyo by helicopter over to those helipads over there
0:08:12 > 0:08:16and then into that hospital.
0:08:16 > 0:08:19And that is all controlled from this building I am standing on,
0:08:19 > 0:08:23the Tokyo Disaster Prevention Park.
0:08:23 > 0:08:26Inside the building are these empty banks of computer stations,
0:08:26 > 0:08:32standing ready 24/7 for the city's disaster control team to move in.
0:08:32 > 0:08:35In the aftermath of an earthquake, it's these people in this room
0:08:35 > 0:08:37that will co-ordinate the rescue operation
0:08:37 > 0:08:39and get Tokyo back up on its feet.
0:08:39 > 0:08:43Until that day, the disaster prevention park doubles as a sort
0:08:43 > 0:08:47of earthquake theme park - a great day out that could save your life.
0:08:47 > 0:08:50It has tips on how to survive in the first 72 hours
0:08:50 > 0:08:52after a major earthquake.
0:08:52 > 0:08:55That's three days - the length of time that the government
0:08:55 > 0:08:58expect people to survive on their own before help arrives.
0:09:01 > 0:09:05The main attraction is the post-earthquake survival experience.
0:09:05 > 0:09:08It recreates a Tokyo street scene as it would be
0:09:08 > 0:09:10immediately after a major earthquake.
0:09:10 > 0:09:13And today, I'm joining the tour.
0:09:13 > 0:09:15'We each get our own console that will tell us
0:09:15 > 0:09:19'all about our fake quake and what to do in the aftermath.'
0:09:19 > 0:09:22It's 6 o'clock on a winter's evening in Tokyo
0:09:22 > 0:09:25and I am on the tenth floor of a terminal building
0:09:25 > 0:09:28and I think there is going to be an earthquake.
0:09:29 > 0:09:31Here we go.
0:09:31 > 0:09:33'I'm feeling a bit nervous as we enter the lift.'
0:09:33 > 0:09:36'It's easy to forget this is just a simulation.'
0:09:40 > 0:09:41That's the earthquake.
0:09:43 > 0:09:46'The first thing that could go in a quake is power,
0:09:46 > 0:09:49'which means no lights if the quake strikes at night.'
0:09:49 > 0:09:52It is quite spooky, actually, moving through this corridor
0:09:52 > 0:09:55in the dark. I can't see anything except for the exit sign.
0:09:57 > 0:10:00OK, so we have arrived in the Tokyo cityscape and it is complete chaos.
0:10:01 > 0:10:04There is a whole seen of destruction, devastation.
0:10:06 > 0:10:10'The instructor reminds us to open our consoles and follow the clues.'
0:10:10 > 0:10:12OK, here we go.
0:10:12 > 0:10:15It's telling me to look around, find a store in the shopping street
0:10:15 > 0:10:18where a fire breaks out. Let's see if we can find it.
0:10:20 > 0:10:22'Fires are one of the biggest dangers after a quake,
0:10:22 > 0:10:25'and need to be put out as soon as possible.'
0:10:25 > 0:10:28'They can quickly spread and turn into an inferno.'
0:10:30 > 0:10:33I have just found a fire in the corner of this restaurant
0:10:33 > 0:10:35and I've realised I have already put myself in danger
0:10:35 > 0:10:37by standing underneath an air conditioning unit,
0:10:37 > 0:10:40that's about to fall off the building.
0:10:40 > 0:10:44'The middle of the road is often the safest place after a quake.'
0:10:44 > 0:10:47Not only are you dealing with falling glass,
0:10:47 > 0:10:50air conditioning systems falling off the walls, cars moving,
0:10:50 > 0:10:54but things like fire, smoke hazards, there is so much to think about.
0:10:56 > 0:11:00'The quake experience is a bit scary but also fun.'
0:11:00 > 0:11:03'It is easy to forget that this building has an important role
0:11:03 > 0:11:06'in the event of a major earthquake.'
0:11:06 > 0:11:08'When it does come, many more people will be safe,
0:11:08 > 0:11:13'thanks to the preparation, technology and ingenuity
0:11:13 > 0:11:14'of the Japanese.'
0:11:15 > 0:11:18Signs of the incredible plate tectonic forces
0:11:18 > 0:11:21that cause earthquakes in Japan are all around us,
0:11:21 > 0:11:22if you know where to look.
0:11:24 > 0:11:26Leo is in Anglesey to get a very close look.
0:11:30 > 0:11:34Gogarth sea cliffs on the island of Anglesey in North Wales.
0:11:34 > 0:11:38The seismic forces that raised these cliffs also created Mt Everest.
0:11:40 > 0:11:43Proof, right here in the UK, that the giant tectonic plates
0:11:43 > 0:11:45under the earth really do move.
0:11:47 > 0:11:51Imagine that this modelling clay is layers of sand, mud and silt,
0:11:51 > 0:11:54and these get laid down at the bottom of the sea...
0:11:54 > 0:11:57squish themselves together and turn into rock.
0:11:58 > 0:12:00Then, as the earth's plates push together,
0:12:00 > 0:12:04what you are seeing is millions of years in a few seconds,
0:12:04 > 0:12:07it forms these amazing folds like this.
0:12:07 > 0:12:09Folds that look exactly like that.
0:12:14 > 0:12:16We call these layers of rock strata.
0:12:16 > 0:12:20Here on these cliffs, you can see perfectly how the strata have been
0:12:20 > 0:12:22bent out of shape by incredible forces,
0:12:24 > 0:12:27and today I am going to climb to the very top.
0:12:27 > 0:12:30This particular cliff down here is called Mousetrap Zawn.
0:12:30 > 0:12:33If you want to get up close and personal with that incredible
0:12:33 > 0:12:38folded strata, there's only one way to do it, get vertical.
0:12:38 > 0:12:40Mousetrap Zawn is around 100 metres high,
0:12:40 > 0:12:44nearly the height of two Nelson's Columns on top of each other.
0:12:44 > 0:12:47Remember, you should never try climbing on your own.
0:12:47 > 0:12:50Even an expert like me has brought along a support team,
0:12:50 > 0:12:51a specialist cameraman
0:12:51 > 0:12:56and a very special buddy who is no slouch at climbing himself, my dad.
0:12:56 > 0:12:57Are you ready for this, Dad?
0:12:57 > 0:12:59I am ready, sonny boy.
0:13:00 > 0:13:03'Before we can start our climb up Mousetrap Zawn,
0:13:03 > 0:13:05'we have to get down to the bottom.
0:13:05 > 0:13:07No turning back!
0:13:07 > 0:13:09'And the quickest way is to abseil.'
0:13:11 > 0:13:14That was the easy bit, now we've got to get out of here.
0:13:18 > 0:13:20'I'm the lead climber in the team.'
0:13:20 > 0:13:23'It's my job to set the route, clipping in safety ropes as I go.'
0:13:24 > 0:13:27'Then the second climber, Dad, follows my path.'
0:13:31 > 0:13:34'We're climbing with our bare hands, the ropes are only to stop us
0:13:34 > 0:13:36'falling too far if we slip.'
0:13:36 > 0:13:37'That's the idea, anyway.
0:13:39 > 0:13:42'It's a thrill to get so close to such amazing rock.'
0:13:43 > 0:13:46'Almost like climbing on the insides of the earth itself.'
0:13:47 > 0:13:51Some of it's dead solid, like this quartz,
0:13:51 > 0:13:53which is super hard crystals.
0:13:53 > 0:13:57And others bits are really scarily flaky.
0:14:00 > 0:14:04'Good old Dad holds his nerve. Obviously I have taught him well.'
0:14:06 > 0:14:10These rocks were formed before the dinosaurs walked the Earth.
0:14:10 > 0:14:11Even older than you.
0:14:11 > 0:14:13Even older than me, that is saying something.
0:14:15 > 0:14:17- Ready?- Ready.
0:14:17 > 0:14:18- Climbing.- Climb when you're ready.
0:14:20 > 0:14:22'It's taken over an hour to get 40 metres,
0:14:22 > 0:14:24'not even halfway up the cliff.'
0:14:27 > 0:14:31'This stage of the climb is treacherous and we take our time.'
0:14:31 > 0:14:32'A fall from this height without ropes
0:14:32 > 0:14:34'would mean a trip to hospital.'
0:14:37 > 0:14:40Once upon a time, this was down at the bottom of the sea.
0:14:42 > 0:14:49One millimetre of this is laid down in one year,
0:14:49 > 0:14:55so that means one metre like that is a thousand years.
0:14:59 > 0:15:02'By now we have been climbing for over three hours.'
0:15:02 > 0:15:07'Arms, legs, fingers are all tired, but at last the end is in sight.'
0:15:07 > 0:15:09Woo-hoo!
0:15:09 > 0:15:11Nice one, Dad, that was great fun.
0:15:11 > 0:15:13Thank you, mate.
0:15:13 > 0:15:14- What an adventure.- Indeed.
0:15:14 > 0:15:16It is amazing to think of the millions of years
0:15:16 > 0:15:19and the massive forces that have gone into creating this cliff
0:15:19 > 0:15:21down here which we have just climbed up.
0:15:21 > 0:15:24Thanks a lot, Dad, thanks a lot, plate tectonics.
0:15:24 > 0:15:25Give us a hug.
0:15:27 > 0:15:29'Days like this are why I love climbing.'
0:15:29 > 0:15:31'If you would like to give it a go yourself,
0:15:31 > 0:15:33'never, ever do so on your own.'
0:15:33 > 0:15:35'Get in contact with your local climbing club
0:15:35 > 0:15:37'and learn from an expert adult.'
0:15:38 > 0:15:41'Plate tectonics took millions of years to build these cliffs.'
0:15:41 > 0:15:44'They will still be waiting for you when you're a bit older.'
0:15:47 > 0:15:50The UK is lucky enough to be a long way from major seismic faults
0:15:50 > 0:15:54and free from serious earthquakes.
0:15:54 > 0:15:56In other parts of the world the story is very different.
0:15:56 > 0:15:59Developing countries with poorly designed buildings and few
0:15:59 > 0:16:02emergency services are particularly at risk when an earthquake strikes.
0:16:05 > 0:16:07But there is always hope of rescue,
0:16:07 > 0:16:09as Mike and Clare find out in Lincoln.
0:16:12 > 0:16:16These are members of the UK International Search and Rescue Team.
0:16:17 > 0:16:20They fly out to help people in the aftermath of earthquakes
0:16:20 > 0:16:21all over the world,
0:16:21 > 0:16:26and today they have two new recruits for a special training operation.
0:16:26 > 0:16:28Come on, let's move.
0:16:28 > 0:16:32Leading our training will be Neil and Dave, both veterans of a major
0:16:32 > 0:16:34international rescue operation in Haiti.
0:16:37 > 0:16:38January 2010.
0:16:38 > 0:16:43A magnitude 7 earthquake hits the capital of Haiti, Port-au-Prince.
0:16:43 > 0:16:46Over 300,000 people lose their lives during the quake
0:16:46 > 0:16:48and in the chaotic aftermath.
0:16:48 > 0:16:51Emergency rescue services fly in from around the world,
0:16:51 > 0:16:53including a team from the UK.
0:16:54 > 0:16:57The team that operated in Haiti were based here in Lincolnshire
0:16:57 > 0:17:00where the fire service trains rescue workers from all over the world.
0:17:00 > 0:17:04This may look like a pile of rubble, but it's state-of-the-art rubble,
0:17:04 > 0:17:07an earthquake rescue training facility, and the closest thing
0:17:07 > 0:17:10you can get to the immediate aftermath of an earthquake.
0:17:14 > 0:17:18And here is our mission today. At just gone 4pm an earthquake struck.
0:17:20 > 0:17:23It was big enough to collapse the roof of this school.
0:17:23 > 0:17:27This is the building I will be searching for survivors.
0:17:27 > 0:17:29The quake also destroyed this shopping centre,
0:17:29 > 0:17:32so I will focus my rescue efforts on this area.
0:17:32 > 0:17:36There are three survivors hidden across the two sites,
0:17:36 > 0:17:38and it is our job to find them.
0:17:38 > 0:17:39But where do we start?
0:17:42 > 0:17:45It's not just human rescuers that train here.
0:17:45 > 0:17:49Sniffer dogs are key to making first contact with trapped survivors,
0:17:49 > 0:17:50so I'm working with Maisy.
0:17:53 > 0:17:56So let's see what she can do. Come on, Maisy, come on, girl.
0:17:56 > 0:17:58Away, find! Good girl.
0:17:59 > 0:18:02'Maisy's mission is to find the scent of a survivor
0:18:02 > 0:18:05'hidden under my simulated shopping centre collapse.'
0:18:05 > 0:18:08'It takes around two years to train a rescue dog.'
0:18:08 > 0:18:11'If a scent is here, Maisy will find it.'
0:18:11 > 0:18:13'It doesn't take Maisy long.'
0:18:13 > 0:18:16'A scent coming from deep within the pile of rubble.'
0:18:16 > 0:18:18'She sounds the alert.'
0:18:18 > 0:18:20It looks like a collapsed stairwell or something. It goes way down.
0:18:20 > 0:18:23It looks like we are going to tunnel down for this one.
0:18:23 > 0:18:24All right, here we go.
0:18:26 > 0:18:30'So we're on the scent of survivors. I wonder how Clare's getting on.'
0:18:32 > 0:18:36'Collapsed buildings are dangerous, and confusing.'
0:18:36 > 0:18:39'My training area recreates the confusion of a collapsed school
0:18:39 > 0:18:40'after a quake.'
0:18:40 > 0:18:42'Hidden in the chaos are clues that will help me
0:18:42 > 0:18:44'find two trapped survivors.'
0:18:44 > 0:18:47The sort of things that I would be looking for in here now
0:18:47 > 0:18:52are clues as to whether or not we've still got children in here.
0:18:52 > 0:18:55Right, let's look at this whiteboard, lots of information on here.
0:18:55 > 0:18:58"Detention, four o'clock."
0:18:58 > 0:18:59"In the main hall."
0:18:59 > 0:19:01"Abbie and Beth."
0:19:01 > 0:19:02Lets go find the main hall.
0:19:04 > 0:19:06'I've worked my way deep within the pile of rubble
0:19:06 > 0:19:08'that used to be a shopping centre.
0:19:08 > 0:19:11'It's hot and cramped in here, and I think I've heard a voice.'
0:19:11 > 0:19:15This direction, it's coming from over here to the right.
0:19:15 > 0:19:18We are going to make this area safe now.
0:19:18 > 0:19:20'We use a T-bar support to create a safe zone
0:19:20 > 0:19:23'to help protect us against tunnel collapse.'
0:19:23 > 0:19:27'Rescuers are no good to anyone if they need to be rescued themselves.'
0:19:27 > 0:19:28Where did you hear the voice from?
0:19:28 > 0:19:31It's coming from this direction here, where this wall is,
0:19:31 > 0:19:33so what's the next step?
0:19:35 > 0:19:38'Turns out the next step is very noisy!'
0:19:38 > 0:19:41We're going to punch a hole in the concrete, then we will put
0:19:41 > 0:19:45a camera through and we will find out exactly where that casualty is.
0:19:45 > 0:19:46OK.
0:19:47 > 0:19:50This is tough conditions, but much tougher for the person
0:19:50 > 0:19:52that is trapped. That's why we've got to get them out of here.
0:19:52 > 0:19:55'Rescues can take hours or even days,
0:19:55 > 0:19:59'but once the team has made contact with a survivor they never give up.'
0:20:01 > 0:20:03All right, we're through.
0:20:04 > 0:20:06So we're just putting a camera through this hole.
0:20:06 > 0:20:08We just want to see just exactly where you are.
0:20:10 > 0:20:13'This search camera can extend to up to five metres,
0:20:13 > 0:20:16'and squeeze through tiny gaps in collapsed buildings.'
0:20:16 > 0:20:20'It costs over £10,000 and even has its own light,'
0:20:20 > 0:20:23'plus two-way audio, so teams can speak to survivors
0:20:23 > 0:20:25'and keep them calm.'
0:20:25 > 0:20:28We are coming for you, we are just going to get through this wall,
0:20:28 > 0:20:30we are going to come and get you. Everything is going to be OK.
0:20:30 > 0:20:34'This is the sight every rescuer hopes to see,
0:20:34 > 0:20:36'a survivor, trapped but alive.'
0:20:36 > 0:20:38We are coming for you.
0:20:38 > 0:20:39Classroom 3B...
0:20:39 > 0:20:42'Back at the simulated school collapse,
0:20:42 > 0:20:45'the abandoned corridors are incredibly realistic,
0:20:45 > 0:20:47'but thanks to the clues in the staff room,
0:20:47 > 0:20:50'we haven't abandoned hope of finding our hidden survivors.'
0:20:50 > 0:20:52This is very interesting,
0:20:52 > 0:20:55because this ceiling has definitely collapsed,
0:20:55 > 0:20:59but it has sort of collapsed into a triangle shape.
0:21:00 > 0:21:03'Corners of rooms, doorways and sturdy furniture like desks
0:21:03 > 0:21:06'often create spaces when buildings collapse,'
0:21:06 > 0:21:09'spaces where survivors might be found.'
0:21:09 > 0:21:11'Rescuers call it the triangle of life.'
0:21:11 > 0:21:13Hello? Can anyone hear me?
0:21:13 > 0:21:15Yeah!
0:21:15 > 0:21:17- Is that Abbie? - Yeah.
0:21:17 > 0:21:19- Beth?- Yeah.
0:21:19 > 0:21:20Are you OK?
0:21:20 > 0:21:21- BOTH:- Yeah.
0:21:21 > 0:21:24That is great news, but I don't know how I am going to get to them.
0:21:27 > 0:21:30'It takes over an hour to drill through this concrete wall.'
0:21:30 > 0:21:33'In a full-on rescue situation,
0:21:33 > 0:21:35'there would be the very real danger of collapse.'
0:21:37 > 0:21:39All right, we are coming for you.
0:21:39 > 0:21:41Do you think you are OK to crawl to me?
0:21:41 > 0:21:42I think I am OK.
0:21:42 > 0:21:43OK.
0:21:44 > 0:21:47'It's not enough to get down to your survivor.'
0:21:47 > 0:21:49'You have to get them back out again.'
0:21:49 > 0:21:51'And if they're injured,
0:21:51 > 0:21:53'you'll have to do it with a cumbersome stretcher.'
0:21:53 > 0:21:57We're almost there, just hang in there, we've got you.
0:21:57 > 0:21:58'Back in the school,
0:21:58 > 0:22:00'I've managed to wriggle through a gap
0:22:00 > 0:22:02'towards the sound of my survivors.'
0:22:02 > 0:22:03Hello, girls.
0:22:03 > 0:22:05BOTH: Hi.
0:22:05 > 0:22:07Follow us. I know the way out.
0:22:07 > 0:22:09One, two, three.
0:22:09 > 0:22:11'Today has really brought home
0:22:11 > 0:22:13'just how tough earthquake rescue work is.'
0:22:13 > 0:22:17'Training here in Lincolnshire means that the team are as prepared
0:22:17 > 0:22:19'as they can be when they have to do it for real.'
0:22:23 > 0:22:26It's not tremors that hurt people in earthquakes.
0:22:26 > 0:22:28Structures can collapse because of the shaking
0:22:28 > 0:22:31and that's what makes them so dangerous.
0:22:33 > 0:22:36Back in Japan, Zoe and Dougal are on the hunt for the ultimate
0:22:36 > 0:22:37earthquake-proof building.
0:22:40 > 0:22:44Tokyo. The mega-city that has been destroyed and rebuilt
0:22:44 > 0:22:46many times in its long history.
0:22:47 > 0:22:49And building is what Tokyo does best.
0:22:51 > 0:22:56That is Tokyo's latest and greatest landmark, the Sky Tree.
0:22:58 > 0:23:04634 metres high, a giant TV mast on the top, you simply cannot miss it.
0:23:04 > 0:23:09It's the tallest building in Japan and the second tallest in the world.
0:23:09 > 0:23:13Today I'm heading straight for the top, if only to ask the question...
0:23:13 > 0:23:16How does that stay up in an earthquake?
0:23:18 > 0:23:23The answer, Dougal can be found here at the Ikegami Honmon-ji temple,
0:23:23 > 0:23:27an earthquake-proof pagoda built over 400 years ago.
0:23:27 > 0:23:29And it's still standing.
0:23:29 > 0:23:33Like other ancient pagodas, it's survived many earthquakes.
0:23:33 > 0:23:35The Japanese didn't spend a few centuries living on one of
0:23:35 > 0:23:39the world's most dangerous faults without learning a few tricks.
0:23:43 > 0:23:47'So what's the secret? All pagodas have a similar design.'
0:23:47 > 0:23:50'Five floors getting smaller the higher you go up.'
0:23:50 > 0:23:53'A central column like the trunk of a tree.'
0:23:53 > 0:23:56'This column is called the shinbashira
0:23:56 > 0:23:58'and it's not solidly fixed to anything.'
0:23:58 > 0:24:02'All topped off with a heavy metal decoration called a finial.'
0:24:02 > 0:24:05'It seems like a very simple building,
0:24:05 > 0:24:08'and that's the pagoda's secret, earthquake-proof strength.'
0:24:10 > 0:24:14The floors of a pagoda are stacked on top of one another
0:24:14 > 0:24:15just like this little wooden toy,
0:24:15 > 0:24:21so when an earthquake happens, it doesn't tear itself apart.
0:24:21 > 0:24:25So is that the secret of surviving an earthquake? Not quite.
0:24:27 > 0:24:31The pagoda has a central wooden column or shinbashira.
0:24:31 > 0:24:33Again, it's not attached to anything
0:24:33 > 0:24:35so it doesn't carry the weight of the floors.
0:24:35 > 0:24:42But what it does do is allow the floors to move from side to side.
0:24:42 > 0:24:43So you might ask yourself,
0:24:43 > 0:24:47"Well, what stops the column from toppling over?"
0:24:47 > 0:24:50And it is the weight of the shinbashira itself
0:24:50 > 0:24:54and the finial together that act like a reverse pendulum
0:24:54 > 0:24:57and allows the column to ripple without actually toppling.
0:24:57 > 0:25:01Not bad for a 400-year-old technology.
0:25:03 > 0:25:06And what's even more amazing is that the Tokyo Sky Tree,
0:25:06 > 0:25:0921st century Japan's most hi-tech building,
0:25:09 > 0:25:12has borrowed its earthquake proofing straight from the pagodas.
0:25:15 > 0:25:19That is amazing, but are we really looking at half a kilometre
0:25:19 > 0:25:21of steel, concrete and glass pagoda?
0:25:21 > 0:25:26Well, at its base, it has got three legs.
0:25:26 > 0:25:30That is a very stable structure, but it quickly goes up into a circle,
0:25:30 > 0:25:33and as you can see, it's got this column running right down
0:25:33 > 0:25:36the middle, just like a shinbashira on a pagoda.
0:25:36 > 0:25:39I've really got to take a closer look at this.
0:25:44 > 0:25:47The Sky Tree is a really popular tourist attraction,
0:25:47 > 0:25:49but I want to take you behind the scenes.
0:25:52 > 0:25:55That door behind me leads to the central core of the building,
0:25:55 > 0:25:57but check this out.
0:25:57 > 0:26:00It's just like getting on an aeroplane.
0:26:00 > 0:26:04The sides of this floor are actually not connected to the central core.
0:26:04 > 0:26:08Just inside here is the solid structure of the building.
0:26:08 > 0:26:12Now, in the event of an earthquake, this allows the floors to jiggle
0:26:12 > 0:26:17from side to side so they don't collapse, just like Zoe's pagoda.
0:26:17 > 0:26:19'There is one way that the Sky Tree
0:26:19 > 0:26:21'has improved upon its older cousin the pagoda.'
0:26:21 > 0:26:23Oh, wow, look.
0:26:23 > 0:26:24'Height.'
0:26:26 > 0:26:30Wow! Look at this!
0:26:30 > 0:26:32What a fantastic view.
0:26:32 > 0:26:37It wraps all the way round the Sky Tree at a whopping 450 metres.
0:26:37 > 0:26:40Now, the people that built this particular building
0:26:40 > 0:26:43must have been sure it wasn't going to fall down in a quake.
0:26:43 > 0:26:48Zoe, I bet the view from my Sky Tree bets your pagoda.
0:26:48 > 0:26:52But if it wasn't for my pagodas, we wouldn't have your Sky Tree.
0:26:52 > 0:26:54I wonder if I can see it anywhere. There is one over there.
0:26:54 > 0:26:56Oh, there is one.
0:26:56 > 0:27:01'From the smallest home to the tallest skyscraper,
0:27:01 > 0:27:04'Tokyo will continue building on the lessons of the past,
0:27:04 > 0:27:06'using technology to beat earthquakes.'
0:27:09 > 0:27:11Thankfully, really big quakes are rare.
0:27:11 > 0:27:15If you're in an earthquake zone and you feel tremors
0:27:15 > 0:27:18remember to drop, cover, and hold on.
0:27:18 > 0:27:21Tables, doorways and the corners of a room provide the best chance
0:27:21 > 0:27:25of survival should the building collapse. The triangle of life.
0:27:25 > 0:27:29This is how you maximise your chances of surviving
0:27:29 > 0:27:30the Fierce Earth.
0:27:32 > 0:27:35Next time, it's all about flashes and bangs,
0:27:37 > 0:27:39monster hailstones,
0:27:42 > 0:27:44and lethal lightning.
0:27:44 > 0:27:47Oh, my gosh! I was not expecting that.
0:27:48 > 0:27:51It's the explosive world of the thunderstorm.
0:28:09 > 0:28:12Subtitles by Red Bee Media