The Kobe Earthquake

LO To investigate why Mrs Endo died after the Kobe Earthquake.

http://www.gatm.org.uk/geographyatthemovies/

tectonics.html

Japan

• Japan is on the boundary of three plates and is prone to Earthquakes and volcanos.

• Japan has a lot of people in a small area. (high population density) lots of people are in or are near a building at any time.

• Buildings were built to be earthquake proof since 1981, older buildings were mainly wooden with heavy concrete roofs..

• Other structures like pipe work were probably older than 14 years and not properly designed.

• Japan has spent a lot of money preparing for earthquakes. In spite of it all there was death, damage, chaos and panic everywhere when the Kobe Earthquake struck in 1995.

The earthquake

• On 17 January 1995, very early in the morning, an earthquake struck the city of Kobe in Japan.

• For 20 seconds the ground shook violently. • The Focus of the earthquake was very close to the

earths syrface and Kobe city was 20 miles away from the epicentre.

• It measured 7.2 on the Richter Scale which is very big and will cause weak buildings to collapse.

• It was caused by the Pacific and the Philippine tectonic plates building up sufficient energy and stresses to move suddenly and violently.

• There were about 600 aftershocks, many buildings and roads collapsed because of the shocks and gas pipes and water pipes broke resulting in power cuts, fires and gas explosions and a lot of smoke.

The city and the buildings• At 5.46 am, when the earthquake struck Kobe, many people

were still asleep. Many older houses simply collapsed, killing all inside.

• Over 150 fires broke out around the city. • Most were caused by gas leaks. Often firemen could not

reach them because roads were blocked. And often they ran out of water because water mains had burst.

• The blocked streets made rescue difficult too. Thousands of victims were left in the cold without food, water or shelter, waiting for help.

• In the centre of the city, there were facilities for survivors with food and water and people could walk to a hospital more easily.

• Due to rubble on the roads and no water for fire engines, the emergency services struggled to get help to the old area of the city.

The people

• Around 5,000 people died and 250,000 more were left homeless.

• Crushing, fires, smoke inhalation killed most. • People who were injured couldn’t get water to

drink and had to breathe smoke filled air. • Many people who couldn’t get help, died in the

days after the collapse of the city.• Most who died were over 60 years old.

Quake fact file• Date: Tuesday 17 January 1995

• Time: 5.46 am

• Magnitude: 7.2 on the Richter scale

• Epicentre: On Awaji island, south of Kobe

• Damage: 4600 dead 15 000 injured 75 000 buildings in ruins 55 000 buildings badly damaged (including many schools) Roads and railways torn apart

• Cost: Around £200 billion

This bridge was shaken so hard it collapsed.

A phone kiosk left standing

Fires still burning, eleven hours after the quake.

Narrow streets made rescue difficult.

What people said

Kobe policeman

I saw rows of wooden houses burned to the ground - probably with people still inside. And

all morning I've been helping to pull dead bodies from the rubble on this street.

Kobe schoolgirl, 12

The shaking woke me up. I knew what it was. I saw the kitchen on fire. I helped dad pull my little brothers out and then we ran. Now we

are sitting in the cold in our coats and pyjamas, waiting for help.

Driver from a rescue team

My truck is full of medical supplies. People out there are dying - and I'm stuck here in a traffic jam. Big cracks in the road, and cars everywhere. You can imagine how I feel.

Investigation into the death of Mrs Endo

Using the evidence sheet provided briefly explain the cause of Mrs Endo’s death?

Mrs Endo was trapped under the rubble of her home and died of

suffocation after 36 hours.

Now use the evidence to suggest other factors which were relevant to Mrs Endo’s death

Relevant to Mrs Endo’s death Reason

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Homework

• Create a report outlining why Mrs Endo died. • You should include:

– Japan: Was Japan prepared? Why?– The Earthquake: Details of where, why and when the

earthquake occurred. – Kobe City and Buildings: Why was Kobe badly affected?– Mrs. Endo’s Death: Use your chart to explain reasons for Mrs.

Endo’s death.– Effects: The overall effect the earthquake had.

• It should be 2 A4 pages long including maps and pictures.

• Extension: why did Mr. Endo survive?

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