Kobe, Japan -Local Scale Case Study Flashcards
(45 cards)
When did the Kobe earthquake happen?
17th January 1995
What magnitude was the earthquake?
6.8
What is another name for this earthquake?
The Great Hanshin Earthquake
Where was the epicentre?
20km from the central parts of the city.
What record did the earthquake hold at that time?
It was the costliest urban disaster of that time.
What was the total cost to the economy?
$100 billion
How much of Japan’s GDP is $100 billion?
2.5%
How many people were killed in the earthquake?
Over 6000 people
How many people were injured as a result of the earthquake?
35,000
How many people were made homeless?
Nearly 250,000
What percentage of the city’s building had been insured?
3%
What was a consequence of people not having insurance on their buildings?
Dwellings that had been seriously damaged or destroyed faced financial ruin.
What happened to Kobe 6 months after the event?
A typhoon passed over the area.
Why did the Japanese feel that they were prepared for earthquakes?
They had researched the hazard and their wealth had allowed them to spend money on several forms of risk management.
What did some critics say about how prepared the country was for an earthquake?
They argued that there was an illusion of preparedness among the people and the city authorities and that they were caught unaware by the severity of the event.
What type of housing was present in the city and caused a threat?
Older, traditional houses.
Why did the homes have heavy tiles on the roof?
To withstand typhoons.
What was a problem with the heavy roofs on the houses?
They injured and killed people when the supports collapsed.
What had not been retrofitted?
The majority of homes and transport infrastructure.
Before 1995, when had Kobe last experienced a serious earthquake?
It hadn’t experienced a serious one for 400 years.
What did the gap in between serious earthquakes mean?
People and the authorities had not maintained sufficient emergency supplies.
True or false: commentators accused the Japanese government of poorly managing the aftermath of the event?
True
What did the Japanese government do which made people more vulnerable?
They were slow to react to the scale of it, they didn’t encourage community volunteers and refused offers for help by foreign governments.
What opportunity did people have after the earthquake?
They had the opportunity to put in place sustainable development plans that took disaster threats into account.
