It is written by Toshi Matsui, a Japanese university student. ...The Kobe earthquake (also known as the Great Hanshin earthquake, Hanshin meaning Osaka-Kobe) was a tragic disaster on several levels.The earthquake lasted just twenty seconds but caused so much damage, trauma and of course, loss. More importantly, the fact that Kobe earthquake has been listed as ‘the costliest natural disaster to befall any single country’ speaks volumes about the damage this earthquake caused to the Japanese economy. Although most of the buildings that had been constructed according to new building codes withstood the earthquake, many others, particularly older wood-frame houses, did not. Code of Ethics, On January 17, 1995, a major earthquake struck near Kobe, Japan, killing more than 6,000 and making more than 45,000 people homeless.4. The Earth’s crust is broken up into a series of massive sections called plates. You cannot download interactives. Pacific and Philippines. This comparison, along with other structural and geotechnical information that is available, would seem to suggest that the greater damage and the larger numbers of deaths, casualties, and homeless sustained during the Kobe Earthquake were likely caused by the aggregated effects of an extremely dense population, an older building stock, and the predominance of poor soils in the strongly shaken area. Omissions? Taking into consideration the entire Kobe and Aum Tokyo scenarios together with the earlier, possibly Aum-related, fireball-explosion-earthquake events of 28 May 1993 at Banjawarn, Western Australia, one is left with a very strong impression of a serious "EM fire" underlying the visible "dark plume of smoke" that rose over Kobe. Success Criteria: By the end of today’s lesson you should be able to: Identify 1 cause, 1 effect and 1 response of the earthquake Describe why the quake happened and … 102,000. buildings destroyed in Kobe. The earthquake resulted in more than 6,000 deaths and over 30,000 injuries. For information on user permissions, please read our Terms of Service. Sustainability Policy |  Kōbe was the hardest hit city with 4,571 fatalities, more than 14,000 injured, and more than 120,000 damaged structures, more than half of which were fully collapsed. The Earth’s surface may seem motionless most of the time, but it’s actually always moving, ever so slowly, at a scale that is difficult for humans to perceive. The quake cost more than $100 billion in damage, and the Kobe. Japan has not experienced such a damaging earthquake since 1923, when an estimated magnitude-8.3 earthquake killed about 143,000 people in the Tokyo area. One of the most devastating earthquakes takes place in Japan! Like all earthquakes, the Kobe earthquake was caused by a sudden movement of the tectonic plates that make up the crust of the earth. c) What were the effects caused by the earthquake? The 1995 Kobe earthquake was the worst to hit Japan since the 1923 Kanto earthquake, which had an estimated Richter magnitude of 7.9 and resulted in nearly 143,000 deaths, primarily due to fire. Learn more about earthquakes with this curated collection of classroom resources. The Ring of Fire is a string of volcanoes and sites of seismic activity, or earthquakes, around the edges of the Pacific Ocean. Like all earthquakes, this one was caused by movements in the earth’s crust. The active San Andreas fault runs through California and causes regular earthquakes, while the warm waters transported by the Gulf Stream can intensify a storm heading for South Carolina. Get exclusive access to content from our 1768 First Edition with your subscription. Something Kobe was unprepared! 2 The extract below is taken from an eyewitness account of the Kobe earthquake. The transportation network was completely paralyzed, and the inadequacy of national disaster preparedness was also exposed. Join our community of educators and receive the latest information on National Geographic's resources for you and your students. massive slab of solid rock made up of Earth's lithosphere (crust and upper mantle). The movements of these plates can account for noticeable geologic events such as earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and more subtle yet sublime events, like the building of mountains. Authorities who had proclaimed the superior earthquake-resistance capabilities of Japanese construction were quickly proved wrong by the collapse of numerous supposedly earthquake-resistant buildings, rail lines, elevated highways, and port facilities in the Kōbe area. The clash of these plates can also cause violent earthquakes, where Earth’s surface shakes. The government was heavily criticized for its slow and ineffectual response, as well as its initial refusal to accept help from foreign countries. Teach your students about plate tectonics using these classroom resources. Earthquakes of these types are especially frequent in the coastal regions of northeastern Japan. The earthquake hit at 5:46 am on Tuesday, Jan. 17, 1995, in the southern part of Hyōgo prefecture, west-central Honshu. having to do with the physical formations of the Earth. Earth’s tectonic plates fit together in a jigsaw puzzle of plate boundaries. Photograph by Karen Kasmauski, National Geographic. Privacy Notice |  b) What was the cause of the earthquake? Kobe Earthquake Causes Of course, the Kobe Earthquake cause is natural and out of human hands. The Kobe quake was a result of an east-west strike-slip fault where the Eurasian and Philippine plates interact. On the other hand the Kobe Earthquake effects were magnified by man-made issues. The earthquake hit at 5:46 am on Tuesday, Jan. 17, 1995, in the southern part of Hyōgo Ban went to the city in February, and by the end of the summer his relief work had brought 22 paper-tube cabins to shelter some of those who had lost their homes and a “paper…. An emergency transportation network was also devised, and evacuation centres and shelters were set up in Kōbe by the Hyōgo prefectural government. Everything We Know About What Caused Kobe Bryant’s Helicopter to Crash News On 6 From dreams to tragedy. This quake, 7.2 on the Richter Scale, was the worst in half and century. The tremors were the result of a violent uplift of the sea floor 80 miles off the coast of Sendai, where the Pacific tectonic plate slides beneath the plate Japan sits on. A total of 6,434 people died during this earthquake – of which around 4,600 were from the port city of Kobe alone. The magnitude 7.2 earthquake in Kobe, Japan has resulted in extensive damage and a shocking number of fatalities and injuries. Measured at a magnitude of 7.6 (slightly less than that of the 1906 San Francisco quake), the earthquake caused major destruction in northern Pakistan, northern India, and Afghanistan, an area that lies on an active fault caused by the northward tectonic drift of the Indian subcontinent. We humans live on a very thin layer of mostly rock which all floats on a sea of liquid called magma. The surface of the Earth is made up of tectonic plates that lie beneath both the land and oceans of our planet. Why was the death toll of the Kobe quake so high? 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. What: To investigate the Kobe earthquake, finding out what happened, where, what damage was caused and why the damage was so severe. Burning and collapsed buildings in Kōbe, Japan, after the January 1995 earthquake. These environmental hazards shape human activity regionally. 1 a) When did the Kobe earthquake occur? The movements of these plates can build mountains or cause volcanoes to erupt. Learn more about environmental hazards with this curated resource collection. Earthquakes in Kobe Japan are a result of Japan’s geographic position near fault lines and moving tectonic plates in the Pacific ocean. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). On the other hand, the Kobe region was thought to be fairly safe in terms of seismic activity. Date of the Earthquake. This article was most recently revised and updated by, https://www.britannica.com/event/Kobe-earthquake-of-1995, Tokyo-Yokohama (Great Kantō) earthquake of 1923. She or he will best know the preferred format. When those plates scrape against each other and cause an earthquake, the results can be deadly and devastating. KOBE EARTHQUAKE OF 1995. When you reach out to him or her, you will need the page title, URL, and the date you accessed the resource. Updates? The movement was caused by the friction from the Eurasian and Philippine plates converging. If you have questions about how to cite anything on our website in your project or classroom presentation, please contact your teacher. Corrections? If a media asset is downloadable, a download button appears in the corner of the media viewer. 1145 17th Street NW The Ring of Fire, also referred to as the Circum-Pacific Belt, is a path along the Pacific Ocean characterized by active volcanoes and frequent earthquakes. January 17th 1995. For example, if you live in northern California you are more likely to be impacted by a wildfire, landslide, or earthquake than if you live in Charleston, South Carolina, but less likely to be hit by a hurricane. large settlement with a high population density. Portions of the Hanshin Expressway linking Kōbe and Ōsaka also collapsed or were heavily damaged during the earthquake. It lasted about 20 seconds and registered as a magnitude 6.9 (7.3 on the Richter scale). The quake cost more than $100 billion in damage, and the Kobe government spent years construct ing new facilities to attract back the 50,000 people who left after the quake. system or order of a nation, state, or other political unit. Any interactives on this page can only be played while you are visiting our website. The focus of the earthquake was 16km beneath the epicentre, 20km from the city of Kobe.Japan, ironically, was named the “most earthquake … Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree.... Building knocked off its foundation by the January 1995 earthquake in Kōbe, Japan. The earthquake was caused by a sudden jolt as the Philippine The number of deaths. A crane and several construction vehicles lay toppled on a fractured road in Kobe, Japan, after a 7.2-magnitude temblor shook the quake-prone country. The Rights Holder for media is the person or group credited. It also permanently changed the shapes of the fields. Navigate parenthood with the help of the Raising Curious Learners podcast. Also called lithospheric plate. It occurred on January 17, 1995 at 5:46 am 52 seconds in the southern part of Hyogo Prefecture and lasted for approximately 20 seconds. However, this was the eighth earthquake in Japan in this century that caused more than 1,000 d) What other primary effects resulted from the earthquake? Kobe, Japan, 1995 (MEDC) On 17th January 1995, an earthquake struck Kobe, a heavily populated urban area in Japan. © 1996 - 2020 National Geographic Society. According to official statistics, 5,472 people were killed, and over 400,000 were injured. The Kobe Earthquake, with a magnitude of 7.2 on the Richter scale, that struck at 5:46 in the morning of January 17, 1995, caused considerable and various types of damage in the Hanshin area around the cities of Kobe and Osaka in Japan. Its estimated death toll of 6,400 made it the worst earthquake to hit Japan since the Tokyo-Yokohama (Great Kantō) earthquake of 1923, which had killed more than 140,000. The Great Kanto earthquake claimed 140,000 lives. Terms of Service |  Port and waterfront facilities in Kobe, Japan, suffered extensive damage due to liquefaction during the 1995 Kobe earthquake. Building codes in California require builders to meet standards set to minimize structural damage in an earthquake and coastal cities have building code to reinforce roofs and walls to resist a storm’s high winds. This is the deadliest tsunami since the 2004 magnitude 9.1 Sumatra earthquake and tsunami caused nearly 230,000 deaths and $10 billion in damage. The earthquake had a shallow focus, only 16 km below the surface, which had caused it to become so destructive. In the aftermath of the Kōbe disaster, roads, bridges, and buildings were reinforced against another earthquake, and the national government revised its disaster response policies (its response to the 2004 quake in Niigata prefecture was much faster and more effective). Mechanism of the earthquake Most of the largest earthquakes in Japan are caused by subduction of the Philippine Sea Plate or Pacific Plate, with mechanisms that involve either energy released within the subducting plate or the accumulation and sudden release of stress in the overlying plate. If no button appears, you cannot download or save the media. Why: To help you achieve your target level for your first Geography assessment! any area on Earth with one or more common characteristics. Kobe was largely affected, as the epicentre was only 30 km from the city centre. The problem was pervasive because the majority of the waterfront facilities were reclaimed lands consisting of loose to medium-dense cohesionless fills. fracture in Earth's crust where tectonic movement is left (sinistral) or right (dextral), but rarely vertical. All rights reserved. Kōbe earthquake of 1995, (Jan. 17, 1995) large-scale earthquake in the Ōsaka-Kōbe (Hanshin) metropolitan area of western Japan that was among the strongest, deadliest, and costliest to ever strike that country. This is because the physical conditions in each place are different. The earthquake caused 5100 deaths, mainly in Kobe. The quake caused Awaji island to be lifted in the north by 1.5metres. The Hanshin earthquake was the worst earthquake in Japan since the 1923 Tokyo earthquake, which is also called the Great Kanto earthquake. These tectonic plates rest upon the convecting mantle, which causes them to move. The environmental hazards you face depend on where you live. The earthquake was notable for exposing the vulnerability of the infrastructure. Continental plate involved in the earthquake. The Hyogo-ken Nanbu earthquake was not only powerful ( magnitude 6.9 ), but with the epicentre only 20km southwest of the city, it resulted in massive damage to property and loss of life. Be on the lookout for your Britannica newsletter to get trusted stories delivered right to your inbox. Eurasian. The majority of Earth’s volcanoes and earthquakes take place along the Ring of Fire. Text on this page is printable and can be used according to our Terms of Service. The Kobe earthquake, also referred to as the Great Hanshin earthquake, was a 7.3-magnitude earthquake that rocked the Hyōgo Prefecture of Japan on the dawn of January 17, 1995. The worst effected area was in the central part of Kobe, a region about 5km … The January 17, 1995 Hyogoken-Nanbu earthquake of magnitude 7.2 in JMA scale (Mw = 6.9), which struck Kobe, Japan and its surrounding area was the most severe earthquake to affect that region this century. Earthquake Kobe Japan 1995 . Regions are the basic units of geography. The Great Hanshin Earthquake Disaster of 1995 was one of the worst in Japan’s history, killing 6,433 people and causing more than $100 billion in damages. Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. The earthquake's destructiveness was due to its relatively shallow depth rather than magnitude, seismologists said yesterday. …1995, following the January 17 Kōbe earthquake that devastated the Kōbe area in west-central Japan. National Geographic Headquarters the sudden shaking of Earth's crust caused by the release of energy along fault lines or from volcanic activity. Kōbe earthquake of 1995, also called Great Hanshin earthquake, Japanese in full Hanshin-Awaji Daishinsai (“Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake Disaster”), (Jan. 17, 1995) large-scale earthquake in the Ōsaka-Kōbe (Hanshin) metropolitan area of western Japan that was among the strongest, deadliest, and costliest to ever strike that country. Its epicentre was the northern part of Awaji Island in the Inland Sea, 12.5 miles (20 km) off the coast of the port city of Kōbe; the quake’s focus was about 10 miles (16 km) below the earth’s surface. Magnitude of the Kobe Earthquake. The Hanshin region (the name is derived from the characters used to write Ōsaka and Kōbe) is Japan’s second largest urban area, with more than 11 million inhabitants; with the earthquake’s epicentre located as close as it was to such a densely populated area, the effects were overwhelming. Otherwise, the deeper part and the shallower part of the Rokko fault sytems might generate different series of characteristic earthquakes. When this happened, the underlying wood materials were exposed, creating a large combustible fuel load. The audio, illustrations, photos, and videos are credited beneath the media asset, except for promotional images, which generally link to another page that contains the media credit. By signing up for this email, you are agreeing to news, offers, and information from Encyclopaedia Britannica. Such was its intensity that even the sensors on the other side of the world picked it. If you have questions about licensing content on this page, please contact ngimagecollection@natgeo.com for more information and to obtain a license. Physical Causes The earthquake of Kobe at 546am on the 17th January 1995 was caused by the simple matter of the Philippine Plate being forced under the thicker and lighter continental plate the Eurasian. Kobe earthquake On January 17th, 1995, Japan was woken at 5:46am by its largest ever recorded earthquake. The Great Hanshin Earthquake. Most of the largest earthquakes in Japan are caused by subduction of the Philippine Sea Plate or Pacific Plate, with mechanisms that involve either energy released within the subducting plate or the accumulation and sudden release of stress in the overlying plate. Earthquakes are more common in some parts of the world than others, because some places, like California, sit on top of the meeting point, or fault, of two plates. The Kōbe quake’s devastation included 40,000 injured, more than 300,000 homeless residents, and in excess of 240,000 damaged homes, with millions of homes in the region losing electric or water service. Washington, DC 20036, National Geographic Society is a 501 (c)(3) organization. The Great Hanshin earthquake, or the Kobe earthquake as it is more commonly known overseas, was an earthquake in Japan that measured 7.2 on the Japanese Scale. Oceanic plates subducted to cause the earthquake. The Great Hanshin Earthquake measured 7.2 on the Richter scale and lasted over 20 seconds. Tokyo area 2004 magnitude 9.1 Sumatra earthquake and tsunami caused nearly 230,000 deaths and 10. Toshi Matsui, a Japanese university student from dreams to tragedy resulted in more than 6,000 deaths and 10... 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