Ring in the new year with a Britannica Membership, 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. It lasted about 20 seconds and registered as a magnitude 6.9 (7.3 on the Richter scale). Also called lithospheric plate. Why does Japan have so many earthquakes? Learn more about environmental hazards with this curated resource collection. The Kobe quake was a result of an east-west strike-slip fault where the Eurasian and Philippine plates interact. What was the magnitude of the Kobe quake? 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. When you reach out to him or her, you will need the page title, URL, and the date you accessed the resource. The Philippine plate moves under the Eurasian plate because the Philippine plate is an Oceanic plate. 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. Kobe, city, capital of Hyogo prefecture, west-central Honshu, Japan. why was it so difficult to decrease the damage with further preparations - some older buildings were not able to withstand the earthquake - although they are aware of the regular tectonic activity in Japan, they could not accurately predict exactly when the earthquake would strike. Hurricanes can span hundreds of miles. The government was heavily criticized for its slow and ineffectual response, as well as its initial refusal to accept help from foreign countries. If no button appears, you cannot download or save the media. Teach your students about plate tectonics using these classroom resources. The resulting earthquake was about 1,400 times stronger than the 6.9 magnitude Kobe earthquake that killed more than 5,000 people and injured 26,000 in 1995, said Emily So, a … Fires spread as a result of broken gas mains. 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. If a media asset is downloadable, a download button appears in the corner of the media viewer. The Blind Thrust earthquake is an earthquake that happens on a never-before noticed fault line, this earthquake isn’t very strong but sometimes they are the most destructive. 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. 1145 17th Street NW Corrections? In the worst-affected areas, the quake’s intensity rated IX on the Mercalli scale , … However if the … This type of plate margin is known as a destructive plate margin. Burning and collapsed buildings in Kōbe, Japan, after the January 1995 earthquake. The Kobe Earthquake disaster took many innocent lives from the Japanese people in 1995. any area on Earth with one or more common characteristics. Japan is located in three tectonic plate boundaries; the Pacific, Eurasian and Philippine Sea plates. The clash of these plates can also cause violent earthquakes, where Earth’s surface shakes. 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. Some buildings had cross-bracings which allowed the building to twist and turn so it can move with the earthquake.The causesThe Kobe earthquake was caused by a destructive margin along which the Philippine plate moved under the Eurasian plate. The earthquake hit at 5:46 am on Tuesday, Jan. 17, 1995, in the southern part of Hyōgo prefecture, west-central Honshu. Privacy Notice |  Regions are the basic units of geography. 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. A complex underground collision ripped apart Earth's crust, killing more than 100 people 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. Kobe Earthquake Economic Effects Somewhere around 150 quays – wharfs built parallel to the shoreline, at Kobe port were damaged by this earthquake, and this – in turn, resulted in disastrous effects on the economy of Japan as trade from the port of Kobe was hampered by the damage caused to it. | ASSOCIATED PRESS SHARE Jan 16, 2020 More recently, a 6.8 magnitude earthquake struck the city of Kobe in 1995, killing more than 6,000 people. Pacific, Eurasian and Philippine plates. Earthquakes of these types are especially frequent in the coastal regions of northeastern Japan. 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. So throughout I will state some of the factors which contributed to the very high death toll. Why the Earthquake in Italy Was So Destructive. What type of plate boundary does Kobe lie on? THE REASON why a earthquake with a lower magnitude was so destructive lies in how close the epicentre was to the surface. On average, earthquakes kill about 10,000 people each year. Since the year 1981, houses in Japan have been made earthquake proof. This earthquake registered as 7.2 on the Richter scale and caused mass destruction. On September 1st, 1923, an earthquake with a magnitude of 7.9 hit the Kanto region and destroyed most of Tokyo and Yokohama. Earthqua Earth’s tectonic plates fit together in a jigsaw puzzle of plate boundaries. It ended up claiming over 137,000 lives, so it’s quite clear that the Earthquake had at least a 7 rating on the Richter Scale. news; Why this Christchurch earthquake was deadly. Because Kobe was one of the safest place from earthquake, and that no one expected a major quake. Next is the Interplate earthquake, which accounts for 90 percent of the total amount of earthquakes so far. 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. The Rights Holder for media is the person or group credited. …1995, following the January 17 Kōbe earthquake that devastated the Kōbe area in west-central Japan. the sudden shaking of Earth's crust caused by the release of energy along fault lines or from volcanic activity. 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. The fact the Kobe earthquake was in the middle of January, which made it difficult for people. Also, most of the houses were traditional Japanese buildings which has very heavy clay roof tiles … The earthquake of Kobe occurred at 5.46 am, on Tuesday January 17th, 1995. the earthquake was caused by a destructive plate boundary; the much denser … So What?

This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. fracture in Earth's crust where tectonic movement is left (sinistral) or right (dextral), but rarely vertical. Magnitude is a measure of the release of energy at the earthquake’s source. 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. It was thus named The Great Hanshin Earthquake. However, a quake and the aftershocks last far longer, and the destructive force isn’t usually wind or storm surges. Learn more about earthquakes with this curated collection of classroom resources. Any interactives on this page can only be played while you are visiting our website. The earthquake, which wreaked havoc in the Kathmandu Valley of Nepal on Saturday about noon local time, was the strongest quake in the world so … Homes were lost so people had nowhere to sleep at night and it would have been freezing. The earthquake was notable for exposing the vulnerability of the infrastructure. Sometimes, numbers are far higher. Pressure builds and is released as an earthquake. 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. These environmental hazards shape human activity regionally. Join our community of educators and receive the latest information on National Geographic's resources for you and your students. The Great Kanto Earthquake in 1923 . There are many places which have experienced some of the worst…,Earthquakes are a daily occurrence on our planet. By signing up for this email, you are agreeing to news, offers, and information from Encyclopaedia Britannica. The Kobe earthquake was caused by pressure building as the Philippine Sea plate is subducted underneath the Eurasian plate. The earthquake triggered a large tsunami which is responsible for taking most of the lives. When did the Kobe earthquake happen? having to do with the physical formations of the Earth. The movements of these plates can build mountains or cause volcanoes to erupt. 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. Calculations by all major earthquake monitoring agencies in the US and Europe put the depth between 7 and 10 miles. Maggie Koerth 8:44 am Tue Feb 22, 2011 . Photograph by Karen Kasmauski, National Geographic. source: IBN Live. The Reason Earthquakes are so Destructive. Basically, the Kobe earthquake was a ‘shallow inland earthquake,’ i.e., an earthquake which occurs along the active faults. 250,000 people were left homeless. Japan's biggest earthquake of all time could have been even bigger. Another earthquake occurred in the area in 2003, which was recorded to be about 8, but due to advancements in technology, almost no deaths occurred. Get a Britannica Premium subscription and gain access to exclusive content. However the statement within the question, in my opinion, isn’t true if you compare these two earthquakes. 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. Be on the lookout for your Britannica newsletter to get trusted stories delivered right to your inbox. 7.2 Richter scale. Kobe is Japan's 6th largest city with the world's 6th largest port. Freigegeben Konferenzbeitrag Why the Bantul Earthquake 2006 was so destructive? Why was the Christchurch Earthquake so destructive? 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. ... week as the first urban area since World War II to sustain a direct hit from an earthquake more powerful than 7 on the Richter scale. National Geographic Headquarters 5:46am, 17th January 1995. Lessons of the Kobe Earthquake. The earthquake’s magnitude was measured between 9.1 and 9.3, making it the third-most powerful quake since 1900. Both hurricanes and earthquakes can be devastating in property damage and in lives lost. Earth Science. Explore the boundaries between Earth's tectonic plates with MapMaker, National Geographic's classroom interactive mapping tool. 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. Friction causes the Pacific Plate to stick. For information on user permissions, please read our Terms of Service. One of the reasons for the quake's destructive power was its shallow depth. She or he will best know the preferred format. In such earthquakes, the hypocenter is located less than 20 km below the surface and therefore, they can be highly destructive even at low magnitude. A + A-Print Email. Houses like those were not earthquake proof so people who lived in them were in greater danger of their house, and lives suffering from any earthquake. Where is Kobe? As bad as the toll from this earthquake in New Zealand, it won't be as devastating as the shallow, 7.0 earthquake that struck essentially beneath Port au Prince, Haiti, in January last year. All rights reserved. The focus was very shallow. The earthquake, which wreaked havoc in the Kathmandu Valley of Nepal on Saturday about noon local time, was the strongest quake in the world so far this year. 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). A three way destructive plate boundary occurred as a result of a plate movement along the border between the plates. Text on this page is printable and can be used according to our Terms of Service. Updates? large settlement with a high population density. 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. New Zealand is no stranger to the results of plate tectonics. It later earned the name as the Kobe Earthquake due to the amount of damage that Kobe, Japan suffered. Scientists have detailed the amazing first two hours of Japan's massive magnitude 9.0 earthquake that struck on March 11. 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. The Kobe-Osaka highway lies toppled on its side in eastern Kobe in the aftermath of the Great Hanshin Earthquake of Jan. 17, 1995. system or order of a nation, state, or other political unit. The newer houses however, had a greater chance of not being completely destroyed because they would have ben more recently built, and made with stronger material. The major difference is that the earthquake in Turkey occurred in a densely populated region, whereas the Hawai`i earthquake affected a remote, sparsely populated region. People died from freezing conditions and the outbreak of influenza and other diseases. 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 city and its surroundings constitute the western portion of the Osaka-Kobe … Washington, DC 20036, National Geographic Society is a 501 (c)(3) organization. The main life loss was due to primary and secondary, physical and human factors. Why does a magnitude 7.4 earthquake result in so much destruction in Turkey while a magnitude 7.2 earthquake produces relatively little damage in Hawai`i? Image: Simon Baker / Reuters . massive slab of solid rock made up of Earth's lithosphere (crust and upper mantle). However, earthquakes often cause more destruction than hurricanes, and it can make a person to wonder why this is.

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