Geography Case studies

Kobe earthquake -

• Date of event - Tuesday 17th Janurary 1995.
• Magnitude - 7.2 on the richter scale.
• Deaths and injuries - 6434 deaths (final estimate on 22nd December 2005).
• Cost of rebuild - $100 billion. Approximately 2.5% of Japan's GDP at the time.
• Primary effects -
•  - Building collapse
•  - Deaths / injuries
• - 120 out of 150 quays were destroyed and so was most of the hanshin express way.
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• Secondary effects -
• - Electricity, gas and plumbing were down
• - Homelessness / starvation
• - Fires
• - Closed businesses such as shops, schools etc

Bam earthquake -

• Date of event - Friday 26th December 2003.
• Magnitude - 6.6 on the richter scale.
• Deaths and injuries - 26,271 deaths and a further 30,000 injuries.
• Cost of rebuild - less than $100 million.
• Primary effects -
• Building collapse
• Deaths / injuries
• Secondary effects -
• Starvation or death by cold
• Disease
• Theft / looters

Pinatubo eruption -

• Date of event - June 12 1991.
• Volcanic explosivity index - 6.
• Deaths and injuries - 847 deaths.
• Cost of rebuild - Damage to crops and property was around $374 million and a further $69 million added from flows in 1992.
• Primary effects -
• Deaths by lava flows, buildings collapse.
• Collapsed buildings, damage to property and possessions.
• Secondary effects -
• Deaths by starvation or dehydration. Also deaths by cold.
• Economy impacted massivley.