Kobe Earthquake 17/01/1995 MEDC

Kobe Earthquake- 17th January 1995   Facts o   Earthquake was 7.2 on the Richter scale o   The focus was 16km below the Earth’s crust o   The epicentre of the earthquake was 20 miles south of Kobe o   The tremors lasted for 20 seconds Causes o   Japan is near the boundary for the Eurasian and the Philippine tectonic plates o   The Philippine plate moved towards the continental Eurasian plate o   The Philippine plate sub ducted below the Eurasian plate as it is denser o   The plates jammed together and pressure built up o   The pressure was suddenly release, and the plates jerked forwards o   The Earthquake’s shockwaves then travelled outwards   Effects Primary o   6,434 people were killed o   40,000 were seriously injured o   300,000 were made homeless o   2 million homes were without electricity o   1 million had no water for 10 days o   Elevated roads collapsed (e.g Great Hanshin Expressway) o   Only 30% of railways lines were useable o   People were trapped in buildings Secondary o   Fires due to broken gas mains o   Spread of disease o   Cost= $220 billion o   Closure of businesses           Responses Short term o   Rescue teams searched for 10 days o   People were evacuated o   Motorola provided a free mobile network o   7-eleven helped provide rations and essentials Long term o   Planning laws introduced to make buildings ‘earthquake proof’ o   New buildings built further apart o   Japan has an earthquake drill every year o   Many moved away from Kobe o   Jobs were created in construction of new homes o   By July, water gas and electric were all working again o   By January 1999 134,000 housing units had been built

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