LESSONS FROM PAST NOTABLE EARTHQUAKES

PAST NOTABLE EARTHQUAKES

KOBE, JAPAN

JANUARY 17, 1995

EARTHQAKES ARE DYNAMIC LABORATORIES FOR

LEARNING AND CATALYSTS FOR BUILDING CAPACITY

FOR DISASTER-INTELLIGENT & DISASTER-RESILIENT

COMMUNITES

KOBE

Kobe, a city of 1.5 million, was devastated as buildings and infrastructure of all types and ages, constructed in accordance with various codes/standards, FAILED.

OCCURRENCE

THE KOBE, JAPAN EARTHQUAKE

Mw 6.9

Depth: 24 km (15 miles)

5:46 am

Epicentral intensity (MMI) of IX to XI (approximately 0.5g)

SUMMARY OF IMPACTS

Ground shaking, ground failure, and fires together destroyed over 150,000 buildings and infrastructure, leaving an estimated 300,000 homeless.

The direct economic loss--- at least $200 billion; indirect ??.

SUMMARY OF IMPACTS

The earthquake resulted in more than 6,000 deaths and over 30,000 injuries.

600 Fires following the earth-quake incinerated the equivalent of 70 U.S. city blocks.

KOBE, JAPAN EARTHQUAKE

The Kobe earthquake was NOT the typical subduction zone earthquake of the region. It was generated by slip on the Median Tectonic Line (a strike-slip fault).

IMPACTS

BUILDINGS

LESSONS LEARNED FOR DISASTER RESILIENCE

ALL NOTABLE EARTHQUAKES

PREPAREDNESS PLANNING FOR THE INEVITABLE STRONG GROUND MOTION IS ESSENTIAL FOR COMMUNITY RESILIENCE.

LESSONS LEARNED FOR DISASTER RESILIENCE

ALL NOTABLE EARTHQUAKES

PREPAREDNESS PLANNING FOR THE INEVITABLE GROUND FAILURE IS ESSENTIAL FOR COMMUNITY RESILIENCE.

LESSONS LEARNED FOR DISASTER RESILIENCE

ALL NOTABLE EARTHQUAKES

PROTECTION OF BUILDINGS AND INFRASTRUCTURE IS ESSENTIAL FOR COMMUNITY RESILIENCE.

IMPACTS ON INFRA-STRUCTURE

The Hanshin Expressway, an elevated highway system, collapsed, and other lifeline systems failed as a result of the strong ground shaking.

HANSHIN EXPRESSWAY

The elevated section of the Hanshin motorway connecting Osaka to Kobe collapsed in three places.

50 cars went off the edge and a bus was left hanging over the edge.

IMPACTS

Loss of function, utility outages, and fires were widespread due to wide spread ground failures (liquefaction and lateral spreads).

IMPACTS

Loss of function in the Port of Kobe caused Kobe to lose its position as the world’s 2nd largest container shipper.

LESSONS LEARNED FOR DISASTER RESILIENCE

ALL NOTABLE EARTHQUAKES

CAPACITY FOR EMERGENCY RESPONSE IS ESSENTIAL FOR COMMUNITY RESILIENCE.

DIMENSIONS OF THE RECOVERY AND RECONSTRUCTION PROCESSES

After a slow initial start during the first 12 hours after the earthquake happened, emergency response by the central and prefecture governments was rapid and efficient

DIMENSIONS OF THE EMERGENCY RESPONSE

600 active fires, without adequate water to fight them, slowed Kobe’s emergency response.

FIRE IN KOBE

DIMENSIONS OF THE EMERGENCY RESPONSE

Damaged gas lines, water lines, and highway systems (e.g., Hanshin Expressway) slowed search and rescue efforts and limited emergency assistance.

DIMENSIONS OF THE EMERGENCY RESPONSE

Hundreds of people trapped under the rubble of collapsed houses and buildings were rescued.

LESSONS LEARNED FOR DISASTER RESILIENCE

ALL NOTABLE EARTHQUAKES

CAPACITY FOR RECOVERY AND RECONSTRUCTION IS ESSENTIAL FOR COMMUNITY RESILIENCE.

DIMENSIONS OF THE RECOVERY AND RECONSTRUCTION PROCESSES

Recovery was fast for such a major disaster.

Major reconstruction was accom-plished in just one year .

DIMENSIONS OF THE RECOVERY AND RECONSTRUCTION PROCESSES

Kobe Port was unable to recover its former position in the world.

Building codes and lifeline standards were improved significantly during the reconstruction phase.

Exceeding expectations, major reconstruction was accomplished in one year.

MANY SOURCES OF INFORMATION

DOCUMENTS AND REPORTS PREPARED INDIVIDUALLY AND

JOINTLY BY USA AND JAPANESE AGENCIES, EERI, AND

EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS