How Vulnerable Was the Port in the Kobe, Japan Earthquake?
The Port of Kobe, Japan is one of the largest in the world, and handles over ten times the cargo of Oakland. Kobe’s port suffered major damage as a result of the 1995 Kobe (Hyogo-Ken Nanbu) earthquake. The three main facilities consisted of perimeter quay walls filled with granular hydraulic fill on sea-bottom clay. As a result of the earthquake, large sections of wharf and warehousing areas sank and were covered with water. “Approximately 50 cranes [had] significant structural damage, primarily due to the rails spreading and settling. Even if the design had conformed to the current practice, severe damage may have occurred. But it would have been less” (EERI, 1995b, pp.71-72). Damage to the Port resulted in increased business at ports in Yokohama, Osaka and South Korea, in spite of the billions funneled into recovery. After three years, 10% – 15% of the business had not returned to Kobe (personal comm., G. Selvaduray, 2000).
