Houses collapsed trapping many people in their beds, immediately fires started and burnt out of control, trains were thrown off their tracks, water and gas mains collapsed. It was announced a state of emergency and army troops were sent to help.
Very few people died due to the actual earthquake, most people died because of the primary or secondary effects. Primary effects such as damaged buildings or broken water or gas pipes lead to the secondary effects, buildings and bridges that have collapsed delay the emergency services, and burst water mains lead to contaminated water and disease.
The Hanshin highway was thought to hold up during an earthquake but it was greatly damaged. Part of the top floor of the highway collapsed crushing several cars beneath tons of concrete.
As this and so many other roads were damaged or blocked by power lines and trees in the earthquake, emergency services such as fire engines and ambulances were delayed. In total 142 fires were reported in Kobe on the 17th of January.
The earthquake caused extensive ground failures that affected many buildings and highways, the ground failures occurred because of liquefaction, the result of loose, uneven rock or water-saturated sand being shaken during and earthquake.
Kobe is a very densely populated town; there are many tall offices and houses built closely together, Japan knew Kobe was at risk of earthquakes, but little was done to prepare for one, Tokyo was thought to be much more at risk. The Japanese assumed that they could predict an earthquake. Most of the newer buildings were made ‘earthquake proof’ but this technology failed as most buildings, old and new collapsed in the earthquake, even the emergency water mains collapsed. The newer buildings in Tokyo are built in the same ‘earthquake proof’ style, so people there are worried as the same technology in Kobe failed.
