Earthquake Awareness In Japan

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On 17 January 1995 at 5:46 am, a series of shocks measuring 7.3 on the Richter scale struck the densely populated area in and around Kobe City, located in the southern part of Japan’s mainland (Aldrich, 2011). The initial tremors caused considerable amount of destruction, however numerous fires broke out across the southern area of Japan which lead to more than 7000 buildings being burnt to the ground. Vibrations and fire destroyed over 110,000 buildings in the area and left 320,000 people homeless, causing close to $64 billion in damage (Aldrich, 2011). After the earthquake, numerous amounts of people were evacuated into emergency shelters located within the surrounding towns and cities. Within 7 months, the emergency shelters were closed…show more content…
Substantial and sustained public education programs grew out of the disaster. It is also seen as a watershed event that instilled a spirit of individual volunteerism in Japan that had not previously existed (Beroza, 2010). As Japan lies on the edge of the Eurasian tectonic plate near a boundary with the Pacific tectonic plate, the country is prone to numerous earthquakes that can vary in intensity. Likewise, the boundary between these two plates makes up a subduction zone which is responsible for the creation of the island of…show more content…
By examining the effects that the 1995 earthquake had on the surrounding area, and by examining the precautions and steps taken to ensure an outcome of that severity does not occur again, a comprehensive case study can be created to outline the progress made in earthquake preparedness in Japan. Works Cited Aldrich, D. (2011). The power of people: Social capital’s role in recovery from the 1995 Kobe earthquake. Natural Hazards, 56(3), 595-611. 10.1007/s11069-010-9577-7 Beroza, G. C. (2010). 15 Years Later: The Growing Legacy of the 1995 Kobe Earthquake. Seismological Research Letters, 81(1), 5-6. doi:10.1785/gssrl.81.1.5 Taguchi, Junko. “Japanese Officials and PR Mentality: Will They Learn This Time?.” Public Relations Quarterly, vol. 40, no. 1, 1995, pp. 31–31. ELibrary, explore.proquest.com/document/222389126?searchid=20180128233127775%3a465782%3a1517182299850&accountid=44944. Ley, M. (1996). Learning the lessons of disaster. Tokyo: Japan Quarterly. Retrieved from

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