No on-sight medical treatment was available. A total of 68 children under the age of 18 were orphaned, while 332 children lost one parent.[15]. Nearly all the buildings that killed people were built before the enactment of modern building codes in the 1970s and 80s. Fire raged unchecked in several places. The earthquake resulted in more than 6,000 deaths and over 30,000 injuries. People's whose houses were designated as "partially damaged," however, received no such benefits. The Kobe, or Great Hanshin, earthquake struck in the pre-dawn hours of January 17, 1995, with a magnitude of 7.3 near the city of Kobe, about 350 km (210 miles) southwest of Tokyo. The Kobe earthquake and the lessons for urban infrastructure by Rogelio A. Maduro On Jan. 17, the cities of Kobe and Osaka, Japan were hit by one of the most destructive earthquakes of this century. In some respects the earthquake was good for the Japanese economy. Amongst the commemorative events held on the anniversary of the earthquake, large "1.17" digits are illuminated in Higashi Yuenchi Park in the early hours of January 17 each year. The earthquake in Kobe on January, 17, 1995 left 6,425 dead, injured 25,000, displaced 300,000 people, damaged or destroyed 100,000 buildings and caused at least $132 billion worth of damage, or about 2.5 percent of Japan’s national income, making it one of the most expensive natural disasters in history. Because Kobe is such an important port, exports dropped 5 percent a month that followed the disaster. What triggered the earthquake was the Median Tectonic Line and it was sudden movement along this fault that triggered the earthquake that hit Kobe… This site contains copyrighted material the use of which has not always been authorized by the copyright owner. Earthquakes of these types are especially frequent in the coastal regions of northeastern Japan. Intro facts: Cause of the earthquake: The earthquake was caused by the Philippines Plate being subducted under the Eurasian Plate. Supports with ample amounts of vertical steel rods remained intact while those made with a higher percentage of concrete collapsed. It measured 6.9 on the moment magnitude scale and had a maximum intensity of 7 on the JMA Seismic Intensity Scale (X on the Modified Mercalli Intensity Scale). In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. After the Kobe Earthquake responses focussed on rehousing people. Worst hit was the port of Kobe, a city of 1.5 million. Los Angeles Lakers Pay Tribute To Kobe Bryant - Kobe Bryant tribute by Los Angeles Lakers | Milwaukee Bucks And Fans Pay Tribute To Kobe Bryant | Boston Celtics Pay Tribute To Kobe Bryant. A total of $3.2 billion was necessary just to clean up the 15 million tons of debris. In 1995, the Kobe Earthquake occurred in the second largest economic region of Japan, and its economic damages were accounted around 10 trillion yen. This help was essential to the Kobe population, because official support was inconsistent and chaotic for several days. The Ground Self-Defense Forces were given automatic authority to respond to earthquakes over a certain magnitude, which allowed them to deploy to the Niigata region within minutes. Approximately 1.2 million volunteers were involved in relief efforts during the first three months following the earthquake. The earthquake that hit Kobe during the winter of 1995 measured 6.9 on the Richter scale. The Meishin Expressway was only lightly damaged, but was closed during the day until February 17, 1995 so that emergency vehicles could easily access the hardest-hit areas to the west. residents whose homes were designated "totally damaged" or "half damaged" received government money and money from $450 million in donations that had been raised across Japan. The earthquake occurred along the destructive plate boundary where the Pacific and the Philippine Plate (oceanic) meet the Eurasian (continental) plate. In the scientific literature it is often called the 1995 Southern Hyōgo Prefecture Earthquake (平成7年(1995年)兵庫県南部地震, Heisei 7 nen (1995 nen) Hyōgo-ken Nanbu Jishin), the name chosen by the Japan Meteorological Agency in the week after the main shock. But for real reconstruction, a long-term process requiring a huge budget, the ministry tightened its purse strings. [8] Earthquakes of this type occur along active faults. Even the Yamaguchi-gumi yakuza syndicate was involved in distributing food and supplies to needy victims.[22]. One man, who stood before his three story house, which was so battered the top floor nearly touched the ground yet failed to receive a "half damaged" assessment, told NTV television, "Look at this! Blog. Even at lower magnitudes, they can be very destructive because they often occur near populated areas and because their hypocenters are located less than 20 km below the surface. Do you think is 'partially damaged? The man in charge of rebuilding Kobe after the earthquake, deputy mayor Tacoma Ogawa, committed suicide 14 months after the earthquake by pouring kerosene on his body and setting himself on fire. It measured 6.8 on the Moment magnitude scale (USGS), and Mj7.3 (adjusted from 7.2) on JMA magnitude scale. Immediately after the Kobe earthquake of 1995, the Yamaguchi-gumi started a large-scale relief effort for the earthquake victims, helping with the distribution of food and supplies. The Philippine Sea Plate is subducted beneath the Eurasian plate. This triple junction is a junction of three compressive subduction zones. Kobe, Osaka, and nearby Kyoto are the centers of the Keihanshin Industrial Zone, the second largest urban and industrial agglomeration in Japan. by Kurt Mundt Kobe, Japan January 31, 1995 (Originally written as a personal letter copied to friends, about 2 weeks after the Kobe Earthquake of Jan. 17, 1995.) Suffered little ) occurred in cities and suburbs in Hyōgo Prefecture, and... Back at work `` all they seem to have are a bunch of chain saw and shovels, however... Friction resulting from the Kobe Rapid railway line collapsed, bringing down part Japan. In one place happen because of the waterfront facilities were reclaimed lands of. 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