Infrastructure Decimated By Earthquake In Kobe, Japan On January 17, 1995

On January 17th, 1995 a massive earthquake hit the region of Kobe, Japan. This quake was unique in that it occurred at the intersection of three tectonic plates. This resulted in mammoth damage to the area. Structure collapsed, roads were destroyed, and utilities went offline for days.

An earthquake will cause damage in two ways. Initially damage is caused as a direct ensue of the shift in the tectonic plates. In this incident the shifting plates resulted in ground displacements as large as 3 meters along the fault line. Fortunately the actual fault line did not go straight through the heart of the port city of Kobe. In this case the direct ensue damage was dinky to the destruction of incommunicable utility lines, fences, and drainage ditches. The rapid shift in displacement of the ground along the fault line sheared the incommunicable lines like butter, cutting off all major utilities.

Earthquake & Tsunami In Japan

Most of the damage caused in this earthquake was the ensue of the secondary effects of the quake which radiated out from the epicenter. Secondary effects from a quake of this magnitude may take many forms along with aftershocks, liquefaction, fissuring, and perhaps triggering further quakes. Wooden houses collapsed from the severe shaking of the ground. Many Structure suffered allembracing damage from the 5th floor and higher. This was attributed to the construction codes at the time that relaxed the structural requirements of the Structure from the 5th floor up.

The communal impact of this quake was devastating. The Japanese had thought about themselves to be well ready for such an event. It was concept that their buildings, mostly made of wood, were great able to withstand the shaking and shearing military brought on by quakes because of the material's capability to flex, and bend. What they did not count on was the ensue that the heavy tiled roofs would have on their structures. The heavy weight of the roof, located on the lighter wood frame created a whiplash ensue that turned these wooden structures into rubble. Production matters worse was the fact that roads where damaged, and those that where not damaged were covered in debris. The rubble strewn everywhere made it very hard to navigate into the area and render assistance, resulting in a much longer and more difficult recovery period. In all, 5000 people died as a ensue of this disaster.

The economic effects of this earthquake where just as devastating. The clean-up and mend of all the damage cost millions of dollars. Local businesses, even those not located directly in the areas of major destruction, where unable to resume business, as local utilities had suffered major damage and remained offline. In some cases it took as much as 2 months to ensue repairs.

The Japanese concept they where ready for any eventuality. They built their homes and Structure using techniques and materials that they concept would withstand the military that an earthquake would create. Yet, despite all their making ready and planning, the ensue was still a disaster of mammoth magnitude. Some 5000 people lost their lives; buildings, houses, roads, highways, and all major services where damaged, and mammoth financial loss, and hardship resulted. There is no such thing as being too prepared.

Infrastructure Decimated By Earthquake In Kobe, Japan On January 17, 1995