Kobe - local scale

• Kobe is located close to a destructive plate boundary where the Philippine and Pacific plates meet the Eurasian plate.
• Much of the city is located on a narrow coastal plain hemmed in by the Rokko mountains. This leads to high population densities along the coastline putting many people at risk.
• Tightly packed buildings make it easier for secondary hazards such as fires.
• Deforestation of steep hillsides has increased the risk from secondary hazards such as landslides. Kobe is also vulnerable to other hazards such as typhoons.
• Many of the older buildings in Kobe had heavy tile roofs to withstand typhoons but these tiles injured and killed many people when the supports collapsed due to the earthquake.
• A large number of older homes along with transport structure had not been retrofitted and led to significant damage.
• High density housing assisted secondary hazard such as fires which spread through the city adding to the death toll.
• Kobe had not experienced an earthquake for 400 years and local authorities were criticised for not maintaining sufficient stocks of emergency supplies.
• Some analysts have criticised local government of creating an illusion of preparedness and that they were caught out by the severity of the earthquake.
• National government was criticised for complacency and slowness to react which may have led to more people dying from their injuries than should have occured
• Endogenous factors (immediate response):

  Damage to infrastructure made the relief phase difficult for the emergency services to navigate around the city.
• Exogenous factors (immediate response):

  Japanese central government was heavily criticised for their slow response to the earthquake by not encouraging enough community volunteers to assist with them relief process and refusing help from foreign governments.
• Exo - short term

  Kobe’s role as a major port and hub for the Japanese economy meant that the Japanese government were keen to rebuild the city as soon as possible.
• Endogenous factors (long-term response):

  Although there was significant trauma a number of local officials saw it as an opportunity for sustainable development in the city that incorporates hazard risk.
• Endo - long term

  Rebuilding phase was swift, 70% of the port was operational within one year, all electric, power, gas, telecommunications and transport links were restored within months.
• Exogenous factors (long-term response):

  Central government played a key role in the rebuilding of Kobe but the emphasis now was very much on building back better in order to reduce the effects of future

  earthquakes. These principles have been used as a blueprint for other Japanese cities at risk from disasters.
• Sustainability has been at the heart of the long-term response to the earthquake.
• Human character:

  • Community participation lies at the heart of reducing future risks. The city council has implemented awareness and education programmes such as training local people on how to fight fires.
  • The city council has made links with NGOs who have greater flexibility than government agencies when dealing with disaster.
• Character of the built environment:

  • All older traditional buildings have been retrofitted to help them be more resistant to earthquakes.
• Character of the surrounding environment:

  • Introducing disaster-resistant measures such as firebreaks along rivers and roads, planting trees to prevent landslides and a new canal system to provide reliable water.