Great Hanshin earthquake

The Great Hanshin earthquake (阪神・淡路大震災; Hanshin-Awaji-daishinsai), or Kobe earthquake as it is more commonly known overseas, was an earthquake in Japan that measured 7.2 on the Richter Scale. It occurred on January 17, 1995 at 5:46am 52 seconds in the southern part of Hyogo Prefecture and lasted for approximately 20 seconds. The epicenter of the earthquake was on the northern end of Awaji Island, near the cosmopolitan city of Kobe with a population of 1.5 million.

Related Topics:
Japan - Richter Scale - January 17 - 1995 - Hyogo Prefecture - Epicenter - Earthquake - Awaji Island - Kobe

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A total of 6,433 people, mainly in Kobe, lost their lives. Additionally, it caused approximately ten trillion yen in damage, 2.5% of Japan's GDP at the time. It was the worst earthquake in Japan since the Great Kanto earthquake in 1923, which claimed 140,000 lives, and it is listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the "costliest natural disaster to befall any one country."

Related Topics:
Yen - Japan - Great Kanto earthquake - 1923 - Guinness Book of Records

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