阪神・淡路大震災の概要と特徴|The Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake:Its feature

  • On January 17, 1995, at 5:46am Japan time, an earthquake measuring 7.3 on the Richter scale occurred. The epicenter located in the northern part of the Awaji Island. Officially named “1995 Southern Hyogo Earthquake”, and also known as “the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake”, the disaster brought unprecedented damage.

    The death toll from the earthquake was over 6,400, and more than 40,000 were injured. Nearly 250,000 buildings, which had contained 460,000 households, were damaged. The combined damage of the earthquake ultimately amounted to the equivalent of 10 thousand-billion JPY. It was the worst natural disaster since World War II in Japan.

    What did we learn from the disaster, in the context of rescue and support for survivors?
    1. Existing disaster related laws and regulations revealed their limitations in such a catastrophic disaster.
    2. The demanding need for flexible measures for disaster relief and reconstruction became obvious.
    3. Post-disaster mental health needs were publicly recognized for the first time in Japanese histroy, and
    4. Japanese public interest in voluntary activities flourished.

    Earthquake Statistics

    Kobe City

    ward death toll missing injured completely destroyed buildings
    Higashinada 1,470 - - 13,687
    Nada 934 - - 12,757
    Chuo 243 - - 6,344
    Hyogo 556 - - 9,533
    Nagata 921 - - 15,521
    Suma 399 - - 7,696
    Tarumi 26 - - 1,176
    Nishi 9 - - 436
    Kita 13 - - 271

    &nbap;

    Total 4,571 2 14,678 67,421

    (As of December 22nd, 2005: Data for destroyed housing counted revised in December 22nd, 1995-All data above were based on Kobe City statistics)

    Other cities in Hyogo

    city death toll missing injured completely destroyed buildings
    Amagasaki City 49 0 7,145 5,688
    Nishinomiya City 1,126 1 6,386 20,667
    Ashiya City 443 0 3,175 3,915
    Itami City 22 0 2,716 1,395
    Takarazuka City 117 0 2,201 3,559
    Kawanishi City 4 0 551 554
    Akashi City 11 0 1,884 2,941
    Miki City 1 0 19 25
    Sumoto City 4 0 44 17
    Awaji City 58 0 1,177 3,076
    Minami Awaji City 0 0 28 3,076
    Goshiki Town(※) 0 0 17 186
    other cities and town 3 0 71 0

    &nbap;

    Total 1,838 1 25,414 42,204

    (As of December 22nd, 2005: data above were cited from Hyogo Prefectural Government, Emergency Response Division statistics)
    ※Goshiki Town had been synoecized to Sumoto City as of February 11th, 2006