Author(s)

Makoto Watabe

Abstract

This paper is about the Kobe earthquake in Japan which happened early in the morning on January 17,1995. First, the total damage due to the earthquake is described, followed by an account of the damage done to reinforced concrete (R.C.), steel and wooden structures and other damage caused by the ground motions following the main part of the Kobe earthquake. 1. Introduction In the early hours (05.45) on 17 January 1995, the biggest earthquake this century in western Japan happened. Japan is famous for earthquake ground motion damage, occurring, on average, every 2 years, mainly in the northern or eastern part of Japan like Hokkaido. Usually less than 100 people are killed. However during the Kobe earthquake, about 6400 people were killed. 8.5% of these died after the earthquake, and more than 300 people committed suicide. Total (direct and indirec

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