2.4 Kobe earthquake

A 6.9 magnitude earthquake struck Kobe, Japan, in 1995, highlighting the vulnerability of even developed nations to natural disasters. 

Kobe is located in the south east of Japan, near a destructive plate margin.  

• 6,434 people were killed, 4,600 of them Kobe residents.

• 40,000 people were seriously injured.

•  300,000 were made homeless

• More than 102,000 buildings were destroyed

• Two million homes were without electricity, and 1 million had to cope without water for 10 days.

• Raised motorways collapsed during the shaking.  Other roads were affected, limiting rescue attempts. 

• Estimated cost to rebuild the basics = £100 billion. 

• Fires engulfed parts of the city, especially to the west of the port, devouring wooden structures. Damage to the roads made it harder for them to be reached and put out.

• Access for emergecy services was difficult because of road damage

• Hospitals struggled to cope with the injured, treating people and operating in corridors, due to the masses of people hurt in the quake.

• Major retailers such as 7-Eleven helped to provide essentials as people lost their possessions and money. Motorola maintained telephone connections free of charge so people could contact their relatives, friends and the emergency services.

• New buildings were built further apart, to prevent the domino effect.

• High-rise buildings had to have flexible steel frames; others were built of concrete frames reinforced with steel instead of wood.

• Rubber blocks were put under bridges to absorb shockwaves.