Magnitude 7.3 earthquake Hit Kumamoto, Southern of Japan
Back to list2016-04-17
Japan
Earthquake
The magnitude-7.3 quake struck at 01:25 (15:25 GMT on Friday) on 17 April in the south-western island of Kyushu, which had been hit by a magnitude-6.5 quake on 14 April. At least 44 people died and thousands were injured.
Both quakes were shallow, causing huge damage to roads, bridges and tunnels. Big landslides cut off remote mountain villages.
Some 10,000 buildings have reportedly been damaged and at least 2000 destroyed.
About 1,600 people were treated for injuries and nearly 340 were in a serious condition.
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe announced the number of troops helping in the rescue effort had risen to 25,000, and the US military would provide air transportation.
The 2016 Kumamoto Earthquake is actually a series of quakes that are being caused by two plates slipping against each other along an active inland fault. The events take place at a relatively shallow depth and cause the destruction of bedrock.
It is the same type as the Great Hanshin Earthquake of 1995 that hit Kobe and surrounding cities, killing over 6,000 people.
Japan quakes by the numbers (Revised on 20 May)
Total deaths: 49
Total injured: 1678
Homes destroyed: 4620
Homes damaged: 69408
Sources:
Cabinet Office, Government Of Japan: http://www.bousai.go.jp/updates/index.html
Major Disaster Management Headquarters: http://www.bousai.go.jp/updates/h280414jishin/pdf/h280414jishin_26.pdf
The Japan Times: http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2016/04/18/national/questions-and-answers-the-kumamoto-earthquakes/#.Vxcws_l96Uk
BBC News: http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-36069405
Both quakes were shallow, causing huge damage to roads, bridges and tunnels. Big landslides cut off remote mountain villages.
Some 10,000 buildings have reportedly been damaged and at least 2000 destroyed.
About 1,600 people were treated for injuries and nearly 340 were in a serious condition.
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe announced the number of troops helping in the rescue effort had risen to 25,000, and the US military would provide air transportation.
The 2016 Kumamoto Earthquake is actually a series of quakes that are being caused by two plates slipping against each other along an active inland fault. The events take place at a relatively shallow depth and cause the destruction of bedrock.
It is the same type as the Great Hanshin Earthquake of 1995 that hit Kobe and surrounding cities, killing over 6,000 people.
Japan quakes by the numbers (Revised on 20 May)
Total deaths: 49
Total injured: 1678
Homes destroyed: 4620
Homes damaged: 69408
Sources:
Cabinet Office, Government Of Japan: http://www.bousai.go.jp/updates/index.html
Major Disaster Management Headquarters: http://www.bousai.go.jp/updates/h280414jishin/pdf/h280414jishin_26.pdf
The Japan Times: http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2016/04/18/national/questions-and-answers-the-kumamoto-earthquakes/#.Vxcws_l96Uk
BBC News: http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-36069405