Question

1. A powerful earthquake, registering 7.2 on the Richter scale, hit the western part of Japan on 7th

January, 1995 at 0546 hours (Japan time). The people were sleeping. Its epicenter was about

twenty kilometers beneath Awaji Island, some thirty kilometers from Kobe. It was Japan’s worst

earthquake since a very powerful one struck eastern Japan in 1923. The 1995 earthquake had

inflicted the greatest loss of life and damage to buildings, roads, bridges and railways in Kobe and

the coastal cities nearest to Awaji Island. Osaka, Japan’s second-largest city, also suffered

significant damage, bringing the death toll to just over five hundred.

2. Japan is an earthquake-prone country but the area around Kobe had not been known to be a

danger zone. It is therefore surprising that an earthquake of this magnitude should hit the area.

There are quite a number of seismographs and sensors that detect earth tremors throughout Japan.

These instruments are supposed to help earthquake researchers predict earthquakes. On an early

warning, people could be evacuated to safer places.

3. It was disappointing that in the case of the Kobe earthquake, no early warning had been given.

Unexpectedly, many of the newer roads and buildings were badly damaged. These roads and

buildings had been engineered and constructed to withstand earthquakes. Fortunately, the Kobe

nuclear power plant managed to escape damage. If radioactivity had leaked as a result of the

damage to the plant, it would have triggered off severe and long-lasting damage on health and the

environment.

4. The Kobe earthquake inflicted such massive damage that reconstruction would be long and

arduous. The early–warning system too has been receiving the extra attention it needs, especially

so because a big one is expected to strike the Tokyo region in the next twenty to thirty years,

according to earthquake researchers​

Answer 1

What are we supposed to do?

But thanks for the information.