Seismology and Ground Motion Features of ۱۹۹۵ South Hyogo Great Earthquake

On Jan. ۱۷, ۱۹۹۵ at ۵:۴۶ a.m., a big earthquake with M=۷.۲ hit west part of Japan in which the highest intensity and most severe damage was concentrated in the southern part of Hyogo prefecture. Damage intensity in Kobe City and north of Awaji Island is announced by Japan Meteorological Agency as VII in the Japanese scale ( approximately equal to MM=XI ) which is the highest one ever experienced in Japan. The epicenter situation and the distribution of intensities are depicted in Fig. ۱.The quake made more than ۵,۴۷۲ casualties, ۲۶,۸۰۴ injuries, ۸۳,۵۳۶ destroyed houses, ۶۸,۷۶۱ severely damaged houses and more than ۳۰۰,۰۰۰ people went to the emergency shelters. More than ۲۵۸ fires burned about ۶۷۱,۲۵۳ m۲ of the populated areas. Several bridges fell down and the transportation system suffered severe damage. For the first time several underground tunnels were severely damaged. Damage on lifeline caused interruption of gas and water to more than ۸۰۰,۰۰۰ houses. Electricity and telecommunication were cut off due to the damage to their facilities. The total damage is estimated between ۹۵ to ۱۴۰ billion U.S. dollars. Most of damage are along an area with ۲۵ km length and ۳ km width from south-west to north-east of Hyogo prefecture. It seems that beneath this area there is a new active fault. It seems that beneath this area there is a new active fault. The areas with intensity ۷ which have sustained the most severe damage are shown in Fig. ۲.