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Flashcards in Kobe, Japan -Local Scale Case Study Deck (45)
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1
Q

When did the Kobe earthquake happen?

A

17th January 1995

2
Q

What magnitude was the earthquake?

A

6.8

3
Q

What is another name for this earthquake?

A

The Great Hanshin Earthquake

4
Q

Where was the epicentre?

A

20km from the central parts of the city.

5
Q

What record did the earthquake hold at that time?

A

It was the costliest urban disaster of that time.

6
Q

What was the total cost to the economy?

A

$100 billion

7
Q

How much of Japan’s GDP is $100 billion?

A

2.5%

8
Q

How many people were killed in the earthquake?

A

Over 6000 people

9
Q

How many people were injured as a result of the earthquake?

A

35,000

10
Q

How many people were made homeless?

A

Nearly 250,000

11
Q

What percentage of the city’s building had been insured?

A

3%

12
Q

What was a consequence of people not having insurance on their buildings?

A

Dwellings that had been seriously damaged or destroyed faced financial ruin.

13
Q

What happened to Kobe 6 months after the event?

A

A typhoon passed over the area.

14
Q

Why did the Japanese feel that they were prepared for earthquakes?

A

They had researched the hazard and their wealth had allowed them to spend money on several forms of risk management.

15
Q

What did some critics say about how prepared the country was for an earthquake?

A

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.

16
Q

What type of housing was present in the city and caused a threat?

A

Older, traditional houses.

17
Q

Why did the homes have heavy tiles on the roof?

A

To withstand typhoons.

18
Q

What was a problem with the heavy roofs on the houses?

A

They injured and killed people when the supports collapsed.

19
Q

What had not been retrofitted?

A

The majority of homes and transport infrastructure.

20
Q

Before 1995, when had Kobe last experienced a serious earthquake?

A

It hadn’t experienced a serious one for 400 years.

21
Q

What did the gap in between serious earthquakes mean?

A

People and the authorities had not maintained sufficient emergency supplies.

22
Q

True or false: commentators accused the Japanese government of poorly managing the aftermath of the event?

A

True

23
Q

What did the Japanese government do which made people more vulnerable?

A

They were slow to react to the scale of it, they didn’t encourage community volunteers and refused offers for help by foreign governments.

24
Q

What opportunity did people have after the earthquake?

A

They had the opportunity to put in place sustainable development plans that took disaster threats into account.

25
Q

What was the estimated bill for reconstruction?

A

$120 billion

26
Q

What did commentators speak positively about?

A

Kobe’s impressive efforts.

27
Q

What had the city achieved within a short period of time after the earthquake?

A

Electric power, water, gas, telecommunications and major road and rail links were restored within months of the event.

28
Q

How many housing units were supplied within several months to take care of the homeless?

A

48,000

29
Q

After the event, what percentage of the population were homeless?

A

20%

30
Q

What percentage of port operations were restored within one year?

A

70%

31
Q

What percentage of debris was successfully re-used in landfill sites?

A

60%

32
Q

What happened to manufacturing 15 months after the event?

A

15 months after the event, manufacturing output of the Kobe region was up to 96% of what it had been before the earthquake.

33
Q

What is the name of the document that was released after the earthquake?

A

Disaster Management in Japan

34
Q

What are 4 aims of the Disaster Management in japan document?

A

Provide recovery and reconstruction
Help people to return to a normal life
Restore facilities with the intention of preventing disasters in the future
Implement fundamental development plans that focus on safety in the community

35
Q

What has happened since the event that has allowed Japan to learn from the past?

A

There have been a number of conferences and research studies that have been analysed from different professional points of view.

36
Q

What has the city council done to older buildings since the event?

A

Retrofitted them

37
Q

Why has the city council improved the fire fighting capacity of the city?

A

A vast number of buildings were destroyed by fires.

38
Q

How is the city council looking to improve its fire fighting capacity?

A

By looking at other sources of extinguishing fire such as land and sea.

39
Q

How is the council protecting lifelines?

A

By creating back up systems

40
Q

Give an example of a back up telecommunication line that is now in place?

A

They have a duplicate fibre optic system

41
Q

How is the council encouraging community preparation?

A

By having an education and awareness programme

42
Q

What areas of concern where highlighted by the disaster that have now been improved?

A

Stocking up on important resources
Availability of basic tools for search and rescue
Teaching ordinary people to put out fires

43
Q

Why is the city council now encouraging a range of NGOs?

A

They seemed flexible during the disaster when government bodies were not.

44
Q

What disaster-resistant measures have been put in place?

A

Firebreaks along rivers and roadways
A mountain greenbelt to reduce landslides
A new canal system to ensure a reliable water supply
Back up systems for hospitals

45
Q

What message did the mayor of Kobe send out?

A

Be prepared to protect yourself and work with others