Why is the 1995 Kobe earthquake seen as one of the worlds most devastating disasters?
The Kobe earthquake (known as the 1995 Great Hanshin Earthquake in Japan) was magnitude 6.9. It caused 5,500 fatalities and over $200 billion in damage. The damage and fatalities were so high because it hit close to the large city of Kobe. This is devastating in anyone’s language. However there have been many more intense earthquakes and many which killed more people. The Loma Prieta earthquake in 1989 was also 6.9 magnitude and caused extensive damage but “only” 69 fatalities. The 1923 Tokyo earthquake was magnitude 8.3 and caused over 100,000 deaths. Because the magnitude scale is logarithmic magnitude 8.3 is about 150 times more energetic than 6.9. Many of the deaths were due to unchecked fires which raged through the cities after the quake. The Sumatran earthquake on the day after Christmas in 2004 was magnitude 9.3 and killed an estimated 230,000 people and made more than 1.7 million homeless. Most of the deaths and damage were due to the Tsunami which followed the quake. This yea
