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On Tuesday, January 17th 1995, at 5.46 a.m. (local time), an earthquake of magnitude 7.2 on the Richter Scalestruck the Kobe region of south-central Japan. This region is the second most populated and industrialized area after Tokyo, with a total population of about 10 million people. The ground shook for only about 20 seconds but in that short time, over 5,000 people died, over 300,000 people became homeless and damage worth an estimated £100 billion was caused to roads, houses, factories and infrastructure (gas, electric, water, sewerage, phone cables, etc).

Three crustal plates meet near to the coast of Japan. Close to Kobe, the denser oceanic Philippines Plate is being subducted beneath the lighter continental Eurasian Plate at a rate of about 10 centimetres per year. The Japanese island arc has been formed from the molten magma released by the melting Philippines Plate. Earthquakes are very common here and happen because of the friction resulting from the two plates colliding along this destructive margin. [In 1923, the Great Kanto Earthquake killed 140,000 people in this area.] The great destruction which resulted from the 1995 Kobe Earthquake was due to the shallow depth of the focus which was only about 16 kms. below the surface and the fact that the epicentre occurred close to a very heavily populated area. Seismic shockwavestravelled from Awaji Island (the epicentre) along the Nojima Fault to the cities of Kobe and Osaka.

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Related Questions

What 2 tectonic plates caused the Kobe earthquake?

The Kobe earthquake was caused by the Philippine Sea Plate and the Eurasian Plate. The earthquake occurred along a fault line between these two plates in the southern part of Japan.


What plates caused the Kobe earthquake?

It was the Eurasian and the Philippine plates that moved and caused the earthquake in Kobe.


What were the Kobe earthquake plates called?

There was the Eurasian, Pacific and Philippine plates.


What is the name of the three tectonic plates that lie near Kobe?

The three tectonic plates near Kobe are the Eurasian Plate, the Philippine Sea Plate, and the Pacific Plate. These plates interact at the boundaries near Kobe, contributing to the region's seismic activity.


Why do earthquakes occur a lot in Kobe Japan?

Earthquakes occur in Kobé because it is built between 2 tectonic plates, that's why when there is an earthquake the ground splits in half, that crack is the gap between the tectonic plates when they rub together, this is called a conservative boundary. I hope this answer has been of much use.


Was the Kobe earthquake on a conservative margin?

Yes, the Kobe earthquake occurred on a conservative plate margin where the Philippine Sea Plate is being subducted beneath the Eurasian Plate. The earthquake was a result of the intense tectonic forces and stresses associated with this subduction zone.


WHY did the Kobe quake happen?

The Tectonic Plates Shook And Hit each other Forming Seismic Waves.........Mkay


How many people got injured during the Kobe earthquake?

25,000


What is the name of the earthquake which occurred in Kobe in 1923?

It was named The Great Hanshin earthquake or Kobe earthquake.


When did the Kobe earthquake occur and in which country can Kobe be found?

The Kobe earthquake occurred in Japan in the year 1995.


What year was the earthquake of Kobe in Japan?

The Earthquake of Kobe occurred in Japan in 1995.


Where did Kobe earthquake happen YER?

The Kobe earthquake occurred in Kobe, Japan in 1995. It was a magnitude 6.9 earthquake that caused extensive damage and loss of life in the region.