For example, many of the structures involved were built of lightweight wood or bamboo covered with a thin layer of stucco that was not well secured. The last earthquake to hit the area measured 6.1 on the Richter Scale. View daily NJ weather updates, watch videos and photos, join the discussion in forums. The commercial buildings destroyed by post-earthquake fires in Kobe were We also have a rare copy of a 1923 report by Boris Laiming to the NBFU on the 1923 Tokyo Conflagration. I interviewed a survivor of that earthquake. Earthquake, it will be referred to as the Kobe Earthquake for the remainder of this report. Get the latest New Jersey Local News, Sports News & US breaking News. More than 275,000 of the city’s 1.5 million inhabitants were left homeless. 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. A lock ( LockA locked padlock The Great Kantō earthquake (関東大地震, Kantō dai-jishin) struck the Kantō Plain on the main Japanese island of Honshū at 11:58:44 JST (02:58:44 UTC) on Saturday, September 1, 1923.Varied accounts indicate the duration of the earthquake was between four and ten minutes. Of the 285 fires that started after the Kobe Earthquake, 138 were in Kobe City and 77 involved multiple buildings (Hokugo 1997). At the initial stages of the earthquake, approximately 100 fires broke out in densely built-up areas of the central city, where structures are predominantly made of wood. Fires and collapsed buildings and bridges throughout the city killed 5000 people and injured 21,000. It appears that a similar experience resulted following the Loma Prieta earthquake. The 1995 Kobe earthquake was the worst to hit Japan since the 1923 Kanto earthquake, which had an estimated Richter magnitude of 7.9 and resulted in nearly 143,000 deaths, primarily due to fire. Such was its intensity that even the sensors on the other side of the world picked it. The last great earthquake to hit Japan, in 1923, measured 8.2 and killed an estimated 143,000 people after fires consumed most of Tokyo. In terms of fire incidence in regions heavily impacted by the earthquake: fires occurred almost uniformly even other than Nagata-ward in Kobe city where large fires were concentrated. Table A Site Burned Number of Number City Location Area(m2) Burned Bldgs 1 Kobe, Nagata Ward Sugawara Market Area 74,043 927 2 Kobe, Nagata Ward Shin Nagata Station, South 39,570 434 3 Kobe, Nagata/Suma Wards Mizukasa West Park 106,241 1,164 In this aerial image, the collapsed Hanshin Expressway elevated highway is seen on Janaury 17, 1995 in Kobe… . Thereupon, we analyzed the fire spread situation of urban area fires of Kobe city in this research. © National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 2021, The value of Standards Development Organizations, Alternative Fuel Vehicles Safety Training, Spanish-language seminars in Latin America and Spain, Safety in living and entertainment spaces. January 17, 1995 Hyogoken-Nanbu (Kobe) Earthquake: Performance of Structures, Lifelines, and Fire Protection Systems (NIST SP 901), Special Publication (NIST SP), National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, MD, [online], https://doi.org/10.6028/NIST.SP.901 This article examines specific examples of earthquake damage in Kobe, such as the Hanshin Expressway, and reports on lessons learned. According to one police report, fires had broken out in 83 locations by 12:15. 148 separate fires destroyed 6,513 buildings. The centre of Kobe city was affected the worst, because it was very economically developed. As fires raged out of control and aftershocks rocked the burning city, thousands of residents were stripping food and bottled water from shops and … (1996), Official websites use .gov The earthquake resulted in more than 6,000 deaths and over 30,000 injuries. Because the Kobe quake, measured at 7.2 on the Richter scale, was shallow in the ground, there were many splits in the earth and the shaking was intensified. 148 separate fires … An official website of the United States government. Fortunately the weather was not good for fires, otherwise the damage would have been even greater. Response to the fires was hindered by the failure of the water supply system and the disruption of the traffic system. The Kobe earthquake, also referred to as the Great Hanshin earthquake, was a 7.3-magnitude earthquake that rocked the Hyōgo Prefecture of Japan on the dawn of January 17, 1995. A stroll in Kobe's Nagata Ward shows a townscape vastly changed from the devastation after the events of Jan. 17, 1995. The Kobe Earthquake Kobe is located in the Hanshin region, which produces around 10 per cent of Japan’s total GNP. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. Learn more about the Library and Archives, our resources, and services. Fires following the earthquake incinerated the equivalent of 70 U.S. city blocks. CRITICISM Many people asked questions about the devastating effect of the Kobe earthquake. The majority of deaths were caused by fire storms. Smoke rises from the rubble after all night fires burned in Kobe, 18 January 1995, following the powerful earthquake in western Japan, 17 January... Earthquake in Kobe, Japan on January 20, 1995. Getting Kobe Back on Its Feet After the 1995 Earthquake The effects of this earthquake were catastrophic for an MEDC. (Accessed April 6, 2021), Created July 1, 1996, Updated November 10, 2018, Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP). The quake killed more than 6,000 people, injured at least 30,000 and left more than 300,000 people homeless. Fire spread rapidly where buildings were closely spaced in the Its older homes crumbled, water mains cracked and fires broke out, despite regulations that … The January 17, 1995 Hyogoken-Nanbu earthquake of magnitude 7.2 in JMA scale (Mw = 6.9), which struck Kobe, Japan and its surrounding area was the most severe earthquake to affect that region this century. Most fires only subsided upon reaching some wall, road, or fire resistant structure. A lot of the traditional wooden buildings survived the earthquake but burnt down in fires caused by broken gas and electricity lines. The Kobe earthquake, which shook the island nation of Japan on 17th January, 1995, is considered to be the second most disastrous earthquake that the country witnessed in the 20th century. We used the data that was obtained by Fire Department of Kobe city and Tokyo Fire Department. The several that many fires occurred simultaneously at the time of the Kobe earthquake in 1995 became urban area fires. 76, No. The earthquake hit at 5:46 am on Tuesday, Jan. 17, 1995, in the southern part of Hyōgo prefecture, west-central Honshu.It lasted about 20 seconds and registered as a magnitude 6.9 (7.3 on the Richter scale). A crane and several construction vehicles lay toppled on a fractured road in Kobe, Japan, after a 7.2-magnitude temblor shook the quake-prone country. By the end of the earthquake, including as a result of aftershocks and living outside due to the loss of homes, 5390 people dies. Several factors influenced the spread of fire immediately after the earthquake and in the days that followed. Earthquakes of these types are especially frequent in the coastal regions of northeastern Japan. The focus of the earthquake was located 16km beneath its epicentre on the northern end of Awaji Island, 20km from the city of Kobe. With some of the fires still blazing in the city smoke bellowed among the air so searches vision was restricted. When this happened, the underlying wood materials were exposed, creating a large combustible fuel load. On Tuesday January 17, 1995 a 20 second earthquake measuring 6.8 on the Richter Scale occurred near the Japanese port of Kobe, about 500 km (311 mi) southwest of Tokyo. The economic loss as a result of this earthquake is estimated to reach $200 billion. Extensive firestorms and even a fire tornado added to the death toll. The quake killed more than  6,000 people, injured at least 30,000 and left more than 300,000 people homeless. The collapse of these buildings was followed by the ignition of over 300 fires within minutes of the earthquake. International 2-5 ANGER IN SARAJEVO A cease-fire has silenced the guns in the Bosnian capital, but the look of normalcy veils a deep bitterness and … The devastation caused by the Kobe Earthquake--5,500 fatalities and extensive property damage--has resulted in innovative approaches by Japanese engineers to rebuild with seismicity in mind. Secure .gov websites use HTTPS On Tuesday January 17, 1995 a 20 second earthquake measuring 6.8 on the Richter Scale occurred near the Japanese port of Kobe, about 500 km (311 mi) southwest of Tokyo. Kobe is not considered to be a major earthquake area. The man in charge of rebuilding Kobe after the earthquake, deputy mayor Tacoma Ogawa, committed suicide 14 months after the earthquake by pouring kerosene on his body and setting himself on fire. Research conducted at the Kobe University suggests that 500 deaths were due to fires, and that almost 7000 buildings were destroyed by fire alone. the fires in commercial buildings was confined to the build-ing of origin. A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States. The tremors lasted for approximately 20 … The earthquake that struck Kobe (ko-bay), Japan, in 1995 registered 7.2 on the Richter scale and lasted twenty seconds. The earthquake resulted in more than 6,000 deaths and over 30,000 injuries. ) or https:// means you've safely connected to the .gov website. Fires following the earthquake incinerated the equivalent of 70 U.S. city blocks. More than 100,000 buildings were severely damaged or destroyed by the quake and the fires it caused. Kobe Earthquake: An Urban Disaster Eos, Vol. 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. The quake destroyed the city’s water mains, paralyzing the fire department. despite some buildings having been made earthquake proof during recent years many of the older buildings simply toppled over or collapsed. Our collection includes several works relating to the Kobe earthquake including the fire investigations report, 2 NIST reports(also available online), and several books. Even if a building did not collapse, it often lost its outer layer of stucco. More than 100,000 buildings were severely damaged or destroyed by the quake and the fires it caused. tried to stop the spread of fires after the earthquake. The Charles S. Morgan Library supports the research activities and maintains the archive of NFPA. https://www.nist.gov/publications/january-17-1995-hyogoken-nanbu-kobe-earthquake-performance-structures-lifelines-and-0, Webmaster | Contact Us | Our Other Offices, earthquakes, airports, bridges (structures), building fires, building technology, engineering seismology, electric power, gas, geology, geotechnology, lateral spread, lifelines, liquefaction, reinforced concretes, sewage, steels, telecommunications, wastewater, water, wood frame construction, transportation, natural resources, Chung, R. The fire data that we analyzed has over about 10,000 m 2 of burn-out area. The earthquakes occur when the Continental plates slide under each other. Of the 285 fires that started af ter the Kobe Earthquake, 138 were in Kobe City and 77 inv olved multiple buildings (Hokugo 1997). 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