Earthquakes can cause significant damage to human structures and trigger tsunamis. Structures are designed to withstand seismic activity but the level of damage depends on the duration and intensity of shaking. The 2011 Tōhoku earthquake in Japan, measured at a magnitude 8.9, caused widespread damage including moving the city of Sendai over 8 feet and generating a tsunami over 4 kilometers high along the coast. Broken power lines and gas mains are also common due to collapsed buildings and pose fire and air quality hazards.