The deaths increased as the days went on because:
- The emergency services could of taken long to find all the people.
- People died later from injuries
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Between the 17th and 21st the majority of bodies were found later after the earthquake. It became harder to find the bodies which is why between the 21st and 18th of February, there were less bodies found.
- The roads were damage so it stopped emergency services from arriving quicker
- Services had to wait for the fires to be put out before they could do their job and find the remaining people or bodies, and then they would be added to the number of deaths later.
- Communications were down so it was hard for services to communicate with others for help, in search of dead or alive people.
- There were 1320 after shocks which could of cause tremors of the main quake
- After shocks could of caused buildings to shake, collapse and kill more people
- The services were tardy so they couldn’t save a lot of lives
- Water cuts so they couldn’t put the fires out
- The people were I’ll prepared, the thought they were safe
- If the earthquake occurred later everyone would be out travelling to work and it could of cause the death rate to be higher
- If the quake had happened later everyone would have responded quicker, it was too early in the morning and most people were sleeping.
The total cost of damage was 9,963 billion yen and due to the damage the exports in January for Kobe fell to 46.9% in comparison with 1994. The whole of Japan’s exports fell by 6.1%, which a total of 5% was due to Kobe. Imports into Kobe during January fell by 40% and its loss capacity was taken up by a great amount at other ports from February.
The reasons for these loses in the economy could be because:
- Not enough earnings as much as they used to, because of it there was a loss in the whole of Japan not just Kobe
- The earthquake made everything slow down
- Had to repair millions of homes
- Had to repair electricity, gas and water cuts. Money is needed to repair all these faults.
- Electricity cuts could effect businesses
- Jobs that lie on communication cannot proceed, as there is no form of communication available. Customers and partners can not be communicated therefore there will be no income
- Products can not be transported due to damages in the roads, companies loose money
- People unable to reach work because of no transport. The roads are damages and train network closed. Companies will loose money and people at home will loose money
- Buildings collapsed, companies may be destroyed, people have no jobs
- Taxes may be raised people cannot afford to pay for them
- Only 7% of tenants and home owners are covered by earthquake insurance which is very expensive as 93% cannot rebuild therefore the government will have to pay for the damages
- Many deaths and injuries cost companies money because they will have no workers
- A chain causes the effect on the economy
Damage to roads works cannot reach work factories have no workers Government receives less money Factories and workers loose money
Buildings, homes and cuts cannot be repaired
Workers are either dead or injured factories have no workers Government receives less money Factories and workers loose money
Buildings, homes and cuts cannot be repaired
- Builders and developers will prophet from the quake because they will have more work and more pay
- Companies can also prophet by increasing their prices of building materials
Mrs Powlett
46, Ragnan Street,
Kobe
Japan
74 849
18th February 1995,
Dear Mulan,
I have no home and no shelter; my whole world went beneath my eyes. At present I am sleeping in the parks, this is my home now. This earthquake has ruined my home and life; I’ll explain exactly what happened and how I was feeling.
I was woken up by the shakes of a vicious hand and the clashes of plates and shelves. I tumbled to the floor, from my bed and I pulled myself up. I turned the switch, which was to indicate the light to come on, but all there was, was darkness. The darkness drowned me, I turned to find the window, but it was nowhere to be seen. The drums began to speed up their pace as my heart followed their unsettling beat. Clashes of plates meeting the hard cracked floor startled me. I was moving from side to side though my brain was not ordering me to. A hand gripped my throat, strangling me as I tried to breathe.
As I struggled to feel my way around my blood began to drown me as sharp edges met my fingers. My hand gripped a torch and the darkness began to fade. I found my way to the bottom of the stairs picking up any thing I could.
Glass was all along the floor; I crept through the remains of a doorway to my safety.
My whole world was left behind me, all beneath rubble. I thank God I am still alive because with out him I would be beneath the rubble with my world. Tell everyone that I am ok, I could be worst. My only injury is my bruised hand, which will mend. I wish I could see you all, and don’t worry about me I will be ok.
I love you all and I hope to be hearing from you.
Yours sincerely
Leticia
XXXXX
