Destructive Plate Boundaries:
when subduction occurs
earthquakes can happen
Conservative Plate Boundaries:
as plates move past each other
in opposite directions pressure
and friction build up and is
eventually released through
earthquake shock waves
Focus: the point at
which the pressure is
relesed (underground)
Epicentre: the point
directly above the
focus on the
surface-most damage
occurs here
CAUSES: two destructive plate boundaries collided,
400 years since last earthquake so pressure builds up
SOCIAL: 230,000 homeless, destroyed 7,500
homes, shortage of clean water, blankets and food,
5:46am, 17th January 1995
ECONOMIC: Companies forced to close, electricity, gas and water
supplies disrupted, destroyed 7,500 houses, 200,000 buildings collapsed,
several traines derailed, 120 of 150 quays in Kobe destroyed
ENVIRONMENTAL: 716 aftershocks,
fires by broken gas pipes
RESPONSES: Kobe's water,
electricity and gas were
funcional by July, all rail
services back to normal, 80% of
Kobe part functional
MANAGEMENT: monitering seismic
activity, after 2 days they requested
insternational help and support
Definitions
Aftershocks (small
temors which follow an
earthquake event)
Foreshocks (Tremors which occur
before the main event)