Earthquakes are common in both California and Japan and sometimes these areas are hit by large magnitude earthquakes that cause vast destruction. This is the case for both the 1994 Northridge Earthquake and the 1995 Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake (also commonly referred to as the Kobe Earthquake). Although both earthquakes were around a 6.0 magnitude and happened exactly one year apart from each other, they had very different impacts in terms of infrastructure, disruption of economy, health issues, and secondary hazards.
On January 17, 1994 at approximately 4:31 a.m. a magnitude 6.7 earthquake shook Los Angeles, resulting in major destruction throughout the city. On that day, 57 people lost their lives, “more than 7,000 [were] injured, 20,000 were [left] homeless, and more than 40,000 buildings [were] damaged in Los Angeles, Ventura, Orange and San Bernardino Counties” (USGS). The Los Angeles County had a population of 9.097 million in 1994, but there were not as many deaths because most people were in their homes at the time of the earthquake. In fact, of those 57 deaths only 33 were attributable to the earthquake, most of which were caused by structural failure and events such as “a couple who died when [they were] buried under hundreds of pounds
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of books, model trains, and other collectibles in their home” (Tierney 87). The other deaths that were not directly associated to the earthquakes were people who had heart attacks (Tierney 87). Even if the death toll was low, the damage to infrastructure was considerable. In fact the damage was so extensive, for both public and private facilities, the Northridge Earthquake’s total cost was estimated at $13 to $20 billion making it a very expensive natural disaster (USGS). A year later, Kobe, Japan, was hit by an earthquake in similar magnitude, but it had different results. On January 17, 1995 at around 5:57 a.m. a 6.9 magnitude earthquake struck the city of Kobe in Japan resulting in major devastation and loss. The “heavily urbanized and industrialized” narrow piece of coastal plain that constitutes Kobe City was home to about 15 million people, 6,000 of them lost their lives early that morning, while 30,000 sustained injuries (Chung, Ballantyne, and Comeau xiii). Of those 6,000 lost lives, “more than half of the fatalities were among those 60 years old and in this age group female fatalities were almost double those than men” (Tanida 313). The earthquake also caused damage to “transportation systems, such as the bullet trains, railways, expressways and elevated highways, new tram systems, ferries, and rapid transit systems” as well as “modern utility systems for water, wastewater, electrical power, gas, and telecommunications” (Chung, Ballantyne, and Comeau xiii). Such severe devastation to transportation and utility systems affected the “emergency response and search and rescue operations” because they were “carried out under extremely difficult conditions” (Chung, Ballantyne, and Comeau xiii). Not to mention, “the port of Kobe, one of the largest container factories in the world, sustained major damage” and “cessation of port functions impeded the shipment of raw materials and parts between business in Japan and their partners overseas” (NOAA). When comparing both earthquakes we see that infrastructure was severely damaged and that affected the direct emergency relief to such areas. In the Northridge earthquake, “there were several cases of severe damage to bridges, or bridge collapses, which seriously impacted transportation patterns in the Los Angeles metropolitan area,” which would not only be costly to repair or replace, it also “hampered emergency response efforts immediately after the event” (Todd, Carino, and Chung 75). In 1994, the Northridge earthquake was expected to be the most costly natural disaster that the United States had experience to date because “a significant portion of those losses is due to the loss of function of lifeline systems [such as water, sewer, gas, fuel, electric power, telecommunications, and transportation systems] and the cost for their repair and replacement” (Todd, Carino, and Chung 137). After the earthquake most of the Los Angeles basin area lost power, which meant that nearly 2 million people had no power and it was not fully restored until tens after the earthquake (Todd, Carino, and Chung 149). The earthquake also manage to cause a freight train derailment in Northridge, which “resulted in the spill of 30,000 Liters of sulfuric acid and 7500 Liters of diesel fuel” (Todd, Carino, and Chung. 152). Moreover, 20,000 people became virtually homeless after the earthquake because “damage to multi-family dwellings contributed significantly to the over 25,000 dwelling units that became inhabitable” (Todd, Carino, and Chung 171). The Northridge earthquake’s destruction of infrastructure is why the preliminary cost for reconstruction was between 13 to 20 billion dollars. The damage to infrastructure in Kobe was so severe that many lives were lost because of the inability of emergency relief to make it to certain places. The City of Kobe essentially sustained a great amount of damage to transportation facilities which hampered rescue and recovery operations and also crippled the flow of commerce (Chung, Ballantyne, and Comeau 163). The 6.9 magnitude earthquake also caused “permanent ground deformation and liquefaction disabled facilities at the Port of Kobe, the world’s third largest port” because “the land area of Kobe has been extended by filling in [Osaka Bay]” (Chung, Ballantyne, and Comeau 163-164). In fact, many transportation routes were built on artificial fill that surrounded Kobe, so when the earthquake struck this contributed to the fall of bridges and major highways. Without a doubt, the “disruption of regional lifeline systems as the result of a major natural disaster such as this earthquake in Kobe, [had] a profound effect on the entire nation because of the economic interdependence of lifeline systems and the functions they support” (Chung, Ballantyne, and Comeau 299). One million households were left with water after the earthquake and after three weeks only 70% of that water was replaced (Chung, Ballantyne, and Comeau 312). Furthermore, various buildings and houses were seriously damaged, especially those “concentrated within a narrow band about 0.5 km to 1 km either side of the fault lines,” old wooden houses were the structures that “totally or partially collapsed burying their occupants” (Chung, Ballantyne, and Comeau xvi). The Kobe Earthquake did indeed have a far larger economic impact than Northridge: “damage was estimated at $150-200 billion, or about five times the economic loss from the Northridge earthquake” (Kunii, Masumi, and Etsuko 217). Of course, health issues commonly arise after an earthquake and the Northridge and Kobe earthquakes were no exceptions.
As previously mentioned, most of the fatalities from the Northridge Earthquake are attributable to structural failure, but after the earthquake there was an outbreak of Coccidioidomycosis, which is also known as Valley Fever. There were 203 reported cases of Valley fever in Ventura County between January 24 and March 15, 1994, the majority of these cases were reported in the small town of Simi Valley (Schneider and Hajjeh). The outbreak “was caused when arthrospores were spread in dust clouds generated by the earthquake” (Schneider and Hajjeh). Of the 203 cases of Valley Fever only 3 resulted in
death. The Kobe Earthquake also had its fair share of health issues during and after the earthquake. As I’ve mentioned, the majority of those who were killed during the earthquake were elderly people above the age of 60 because they were the ones who commonly resided “on the first floor of the so-called ‘bunka jutaku’ (civilized apartment) – the two-story, wooden houses with heavy tiled roofs and thin walls that had been rashly built in the years just after World War II” (Kunni, Akagi, Kita 216), so they were crushed to death during the earthquake. “Although disaster-related morbidity and mortality are difficult to define, physical and mental stress caused by the Kobe quake and adverse situation in its aftermath may have increased the incidence of particular diseases and worsened conditions related to chronic diseases” (Kunni, Akagi, Kita 216). For example, during the first month after the quake “the incidence of temporary hypertension, and morbidity and mortality from acute myocardial infraction increased” (Kunni, Akagi, Kita 216-217). There were also various deaths from pneumonia in the month following the earthquake. Earthquakes are known to cause secondary hazards that cause even more destruction and health issues, and both the Northridge Earthquake and the Kobe Earthquake triggered fires. The Northridge earthquake produced 30 to 50 significant fires, principally located in the San Fernando Valley “and confined to the building of fire origin either by separation of by fire department action” (Todd, Carino, and Chung 157). Most of these fires were caused by a natural gas leak, while a few others were caused by hazardous chemical interaction. Luckily, there were no fatalities in relation to the fires that the Northridge quake caused. This was not the case for the Kobe Earthquake. The Kobe earthquake generated 148 fires and “new fire ignitions and spread continued for days after the earthquake as a result of electric power restoration and the need for the open fires by earthquake fire” (Chung, Ballantyne, and Comeau 505-506). Those fires caused 12% of burn deaths and some of them were difficult to extinguish because of “the preponderance and high density of wooden houses and poor firefighting conditions, such as narrow or obstructed roads and blocked supplies of water” (Kunii, Masumi, and Etsuko 216). All in all, even if both the Northridge Earthquake and the Kobe Earthquake had a similar magnitude and occurred around the same time, there was more loss in Kobe than there was in Northridge. Although both places sustained major damage to infrastructure, Kobe had a higher population density that was concentrated in one small area which made it more susceptible for people to die during this earthquake. The damaged infrastructure impeded emergency relief in Kobe, not so much in Northridge. The death toll was a staggering 6,000 in Kobe because of the weak structural integrity of wooden homes, while in Northridge most buildings were able to endure earthquake shaking. Earthquakes like these highlight how deadly an earthquake of virtually the same magnitude can affect different areas be in terms of infrastructure, lifeline systems, and secondary hazards.
When one of the worst earthquakes ever hits the town of San Francisco panic ensues, but not for everyone. On April 18, 1906, at 5:15 am the city of San Francisco was demolished by a 7.8 magnitude earthquake which also led to many fires being started. There was $350m in estimated damages, and 400-750 people perished in the earthquake and fire. Around 490 city blocks were destroyed, causing 250,000 people to become homeless (A Brief Account, SF Tourism Tips). In the aftermath of the earthquake there were many eyewitness accounts written about it. The eyewitness account, “Comprehending the Calamity,” by Emma Burke and the eyewitness account,"Horrific Wreck of the City" by Fred Hewitt both describe the same event, but they both have very different
In 1910 a series of fifty-two earthquakes struck Arizona between September 10th-23rd and it caused much of the Flagstaff residents to flee the area as even strong households cracked and chimneys crumbled. The fifty-two earthquakes were all light-shock earthquakes with magnitudes between 4.0-4.2 that came right after another. If only one earthquake occurred in that timespan then it is likely that only objects would be knocked from shelves but no damage would be done to infrastructure, but the earthquakes happened right after another causing significant slight
The scenario mentioned above was based on the rupture located along the Cascadia fault line. This fault system runs from Northern California to Vancouver Island about 700 miles off the shore (FOX5). Scientists use to believe that the San Andreas Fault was where a large earthquake tsunami would originate, but recently their attention has shifted to the Cascadia subduction zone which is now said to be much more dangerous than previously thought (FOX5). Recent earthquake events have added even more tension and possibility for a large-scale tsunami. On March 10, 2014, a 6.8 magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of Northern California, which put a lot of stress on the Mendocino Triple Junction (Davidson). The Mendocino Triple Junction is where three tectonic plates collide, and is very unstable (Davidson). This junction has all this built up pressure and is about ready to explode. Scientists believe that this junction will be the origin of a tear along the 680-mile long Cascadia Subduction Zone. (Davidson). The disaster that follows will be considered the United State’s largest modern-day earthquake.
Earthquakes in California are certainly not a surprise. What is a surprise is their unpredictability and randomness. Geologists say there is roughly a 50 percent chance that a magnitude 8 or more quake will hit the Los Angeles area sometime over the next 30 years. And, over the past twenty years, the Los Angeles area has witnessed several earthquakes, and in particular, two that were quite devastating; the 1971 San Fernando earthquake, and the January 17, 1994, Northridge Earthquake. Given the certainty that earthquakes will occur, they still seem to come as a surprise, and leave many communities unprepared to deal with their aftermath.
"The Great Quake: 1906-2006 / Rising from the Ashes." SFGate. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 May 2014.
The San Francisco Earthquake commenced at five thirteen o’clock in the morning, with the epicenter offshore of San Francisco. The city carried more than 400,000 people during this event (Earthquake of 1906, 1). Most of the
The epicenter of this earthquake is in San Francisco, hence the name of it. The cities that were affected by it included Santa Rosa, San Jose, and Santa Cruz. It awakened the city of San Francisco with a population of 400, 000 people with a magnitude of 7.8 (Frantz, 2016). Today, the current population of the city is twice as much compared to the population in 1906. Reconstruction of San Francisco
At 5:12 a.m. on April 18th, 1906, the California city of San Francisco was awoken by a 7.8 magnitude earthquake. Chaos erupted with the earthquake leading to fire break outs throughout San Francisco (Cameron and Gordon. Pgs 69-73).The earthquake and the resulting fires caused destruction to majority of the city with buildings crumbling and igniting into flames. Many people died along with thousands and thousands of people being left homeless. This devastating earthquake left the city and United States in a financial crisis. Although the 1906 earthquake was one of the worst natural disasters in U.S. history, the city of San Francisco was able to overcome these substantial physical, social and economic impacts it had.
In addition, Valley Fever has not received sufficient funding for research. Many milder cases go undiagnosed, which may mean that the reported cases are just the tip of the iceberg. The increase could be because of: • More people exposed to the fungus because of increased travel or relocation to the southwestern United States • Changes in the way cases of valley fever are being detected and reported to public health officials, or • Changes in factors such as temperature and rainfall, which can affect the growth of the fungus in the environment and how much of it is circulating in the air. There is no vaccine to protect against it and, in the most severe cases, no cure. The population of Phoenix has grown by ten per cent in the past decade, and newcomers have no acquired immunity.
Hazards pose risk to everyone. Our acceptance of the risks associated with hazards dictates where and how we live. As humans, we accept a certain amount of risk when choosing to live our daily lives. From time to time, a hazard becomes an emergent situation. Tornadoes in the Midwest, hurricanes along the Gulf Coast or earthquakes in California are all hazards that residents in those regions accept and live with. This paper will examine one hazard that caused a disaster requiring a response from emergency management personnel. Specifically, the hazard more closely examined here is an earthquake. With the recent twenty year anniversary covered by many media outlets, the January 17, 1994, Northridge, California earthquake to date is the most expensive earthquake in American history.
October 17, 1989. Damage for this San Francisco Bay Area quake are close to 4 billion. The
The Great Kanto Earthquake also known as the Tokyo-Yokohama Earthquake of 1923 hit the metropolitan area of Kanto on September 1st, 1923 around 11:58 pm. It was a 7.9 on the Richter magnitude scale, killing over one-hundred and forty thousand people due to its high magnitude and the time it happened. The earthquake struck around lunch time, when many Japanese people were at home cooking at their charcoal or gas fueled stoves. At the moment the earthquake hit, it knocked down buildings that caught flames from the stoves that fell over, enflaming the city. The fire was swept up and able to spread due to the gusts of wind that occurred for two days afterwards, resulting in firestorms. Charles Blauvelt experienced the ordeal of the fire describing the flames as “[covering] the whole city [as they] burned all day and night.” In addition to the firestorms and the earthquake itself, there was a shock because of all the fallen debris which triggered tsunamis to fill and flood Japanese cities. These tsunamis, that were about thirty feet tall, destroyed central Tokyo and immensely added to the death toll.
It was known as the great Alaska earthquake. On March 27, 1964, an earthquake with a magnitude of 9.2 struck the Prince William Sound region of Alaska. This earthquake is the second largest earthquake ever recorded in the world, the first as a magnitude 9.2 in Chile in 1960. In other words, this earthquake released 10 million times more energy than the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima Japan. Equally important, this (Abby Lautt) earthquake produced landslides and caused catastrophic damage covering an area of 130,000 square kilometers, which is the entire state of Alaska, parts of Canada and Washington. The earthquake lasted approximately four minutes with eleven substantial after shock occurring over the next 24hrs causing damages in the amount of almost $400,000 and killed 131 people.
An earthquake occurs abruptly and causes severs damage to people, property, landscape and more. A great mega-thrust earthquake, known as the Great Tohoku Earthquake has shaken Japan at 5:46:24 UTC on March 11, 2011. It caused a severe disaster, including tsunami and nuclear radiation exposure.. This mega-quake located at the latitude 38.297 degree North and longitude of 142.372 degree East, near the east coast of Honshu, Japan (USGS, 2013). An earthquake and tsunami waves caused widespread damage to many areas of Japan. People in Japan are still recovering from the damages.
Earthquakes belong to the class of most disastrous natural hazards. They result in unexpected and tremendous earth movements. These movements results from dissemination of an enormous amount of intense energy in form of seismic waves which are detected by use of seismograms. The impact of earthquakes leaves behind several landmarks including: destruction of property, extensive disruption of services like sewer and water lines, loss of life, and causes instability in both economic and social components of the affected nation (Webcache 2).