January 17, 1995 — 5:46 AM. In twenty seconds, a strike-slip fault humbled a nation's "earthquake-proof" infrastructure. This is the record.
On the date of January 17, 1995, a major catastrophe struck Japan. More specifically the Hanshin area which withholds Kobe Osaka and neighboring areas that surround them. This natural disaster was the cause of death to more than 6,500 plus people and the perpetrator to humbling Japan's "earthquake proof infrastructure" by reducing a colossal number of houses, buildings, railways, elevated highways and port facilities to mere rubble in seconds. All these terrors where the doing of an earthquake called the "Kobe quake". The Kobe quake measured a staggering 7.9 on the Reichter scale with a magnitude of 6.9. The magnitude of the earthquake was measured with the use of seismographs, machines the measure the movement of a stationery object during an earthquake.
the Earthquake occurred due to the buildup of stress due to subduction, uplifting and tilting of the Eurasian and Philippine tectonic plate. Japan through history has always been a hotspot for geological activity since it is affected by four tectonic plates at once. The Kobe quake more specifically was the result of a strike slip fault between the Eurasian plate and Philippines plate. A strike slip fault is when two rock masses, slip by each over after a fracture in the earths rock crust. This caused immense stress and pressure to build up and when all of that pent up energy released it caused the Kobe quake.
At the time of the 1995 Kobe earthquake, Japan relied on an Early Earthquake Warning System, or EEW. However, this system was not very effective because it heavily lacked accuracy and real-time data. The country did not have a modern alert system back then, meaning people depended mostly on live broadcasts or local sirens. If the residents had received more accurate data, they could have planned the catastrophe much better by leaving their houses or quickly compiling emergency medical and preparedness kits. Additionally, the Natural Disastrous Countermeasures Act was in place, which prompted local governments to issue emergency shelters and basic necessities. In the real world, this did not work out well because the act was super outdated. Due to lackluster organization and poor planning, the government failed to effectively fulfill its promises of shelter and necessities. The medical response also completely failed because communication was poor, resulting in extremely long wait times for help and aid. Because of the debris and chaos caused by the earthquake, it was merely impossible for emergency services to use the roads.
On the other hand, the modern upgrades were also immense. The massive hardships from the 1995 disaster completely humbled Japan's "earthquake proof infrastructure" and forced the country to completely reinvent its systems, opening their eyes and giving them an optimal opportunity to drastically improve their designs and emergency responses. First, Japan introduced the DMAT (Disaster Medical Assistance Team), which provides rapid service that can arrive in less than five minutes. They prioritize getting help to the most critically conditioned people first and exploit air travel to bypass ruined, blocked roads, which allowed 383 DMAT members using advanced communication and teamwork skills to quickly save 300 patients. Japan also created EMIS, a new, united national system that takes hospital communication nationwide, which was later seen in action during the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake. Additionally, they launched the modern J-Alert system in 2007 because of the specific failures in the Kobe earthquake. This system uses highly advanced satellite broadcasts to distribute emergency memos within 1 to 20 seconds without any human intervention. If a life-threatening event occurs, the national government sends out information that instantly triggers a media interception—stopping all media in place to broadcast the warning—while also loudly turning on sirens and sending out a cellphone alert similar to an Amber Alert. Finally, to maximize speed and data accuracy, the new system relies on 4,000 highly advanced seismographs across Japan alongside a network of around 1,000 ocean floor seismographs. The sensors first detect the fast and harmless P-waves to alert everyone and then analyze seventy bases to see how powerful the incoming S-waves are.
To prepare for a geohazard like an earthquake, you should have a medical kit. The kit needs to include two absorbent compress dressings used to stop blood flow from wounds and significantly decrease the chance of infection if placed on an injury, one adhesive cloth tape used to secure things to wounds, five antibiotic ointment packets to treat minor cuts or injuries and help prevent infections, and five antiseptic wipes used to disinfect wounds, injuries, or desired objects. You should also pack two packets of pain medicine to help one during an emergency and assist the body for healing, one emergency blanket to heat the body and be able to keep warm when there is no shelter, one breathing barrier to aid in CPR, one instant cold compress to reduce pain and inflammation, two pairs of gloves to touch toxic or bodily matter safely, two hydrocortisone ointment packs to reduce itching of an area, and a three-inch gauze roll used to secure things to the body, dress wounds, and control bleeding. Additionally, include an oral thermometer to gauge the temperature of a person, which could determine if a person is sick or not, two triangular bandages to create arm sleeves if an arm is injured, tweezers to grip minuscule items unworthy of human fingers, and an emergency first aid instruction guide to explain how and where to use everything.
However, a medical kit alone will not allow you to survive. You would need at least four liters of water per day for each person. For food, you would have to eat non-perishable foods so that no matter what, they cannot expire unless opened or damaged, making them optimal for long-term survival or unseen emergencies. You would need at least a three-day to one-week supply of food, and to open the cans, you would need a can opener. You should also bring a power bank or some kind of energy source so when at some point the phone signal restores, you would be able to use your phone to call people or look at key information. Whilst you cannot use your phone, you would have to pack a battery-powered radio so you could know what is going on around the world and listen to emergency broadcasts to tell you vital information about your situation. Next, you would need a battery-powered flashlight in your emergency kit because there won't be any electricity during an earthquake, causing most places to not have working lights. It is always good to have extra batteries for your battery-dependent devices because the extra batteries will run out of energy at some point, abandoning you with key information and light. Finally, if you or someone in your family has prescription eyeglasses or contacts and other personal tools, you should pack extras of these items, and it is important to also pack extra keys for your house and cars in case you need to access them.