1923 Great Kanto Earthquake - One of the Most Devastating Natural Disasters
On September 1, 1923, Tokyo was devastated by an unusually violent natural catastrophe, the 1923 Great Kanto earthquake, which also sometimes called the Great Tokyo Earthquake. It is one of the most devastating natural disasters that mankind has ever seen, causing over 140,000 people to lose their lives. At 11:58 a.m., the first shock measuring 7.9 in magnitude struck the Kanto Plain on the main Japanese island of Honshu, causing the wave of casualties. A few moments later, it was followed by a tremendous aftershock that further increased the level of destruction and completed the effect that was lacking after the first shock. Its epicenter was in the shallow waters of Sagami Bay, about 25 miles south of Tokyo. This earthquake devastated Tokyo and caused widespread damage throughout the Kanto region. The intensity of the earthquake can be gauged from the fact that more than half of the brick buildings and one-tenth of the reinforced concrete structures in the area collapsed. The force of the earthquake was so powerful that in Kamakura, more than 60 km from the epicenter, it moved the statue of the great Buddha, which weighs about 121 tonnes, almost 60 centimeters. The earthquake was followed a few minutes later by a 10 m (33 ft) high tsunami that struck the coast of Sagami Bay, Izu Islands, and the east coast of the Izu Peninsula where it swept away thousands of people. Over 570,000 homes were destroyed, leaving an estimated 1.9 million homeless. Also, landslides in the mountainous and hilly coastal areas have buried or swept away many homes.
But despite all these disasters, it was not the end but the beginning of a new tragedy, a fire tornado that caused a single greatest loss of life. It ignited a large city-sized firestorm and produced a gigantic fire whirl that killed 38,000 people in fifteen minutes. If you are not aware of a fire tornado, let's first tell you what a Fire Tornado really is. A fire tornado, also known as a fire whirl, is mainly a whirlwind induced by a fire and often composed of flame or ash, and can reach up to 1,090 °C. Because the earthquake struck at lunchtime and many people were cooking meals over fires, fires spread and were whipped up by winds into “fire tornadoes” that swept throughout the cities of Yokohama and Tokyo. By late afternoon that day, the city was in total panic and half of Tokyo was burning. For the inhabitants trapped in the firestorms, it was a dreadful moment. Hundreds of thousands of Tokyo residents were trying to flee at safe places by any means possible. To make matters worse, a strong typhoon hit the region at about the same time as the earthquake that caused fires to spread rapidly. Roaring through the wooden houses of Yokohama and Tokyo, it burnt everything and everyone in its path, and it took two whole days to get the fires under control.
About 142,800 people were estimated to have died in this devastating natural event, including about 40,000 who went missing and were pronounced dead. In 1960, the government declared September 1 as the annual "Disaster Prevention Day" on the 37th anniversary of the earthquake.
But despite all these disasters, it was not the end but the beginning of a new tragedy, a fire tornado that caused a single greatest loss of life. It ignited a large city-sized firestorm and produced a gigantic fire whirl that killed 38,000 people in fifteen minutes. If you are not aware of a fire tornado, let's first tell you what a Fire Tornado really is. A fire tornado, also known as a fire whirl, is mainly a whirlwind induced by a fire and often composed of flame or ash, and can reach up to 1,090 °C. Because the earthquake struck at lunchtime and many people were cooking meals over fires, fires spread and were whipped up by winds into “fire tornadoes” that swept throughout the cities of Yokohama and Tokyo. By late afternoon that day, the city was in total panic and half of Tokyo was burning. For the inhabitants trapped in the firestorms, it was a dreadful moment. Hundreds of thousands of Tokyo residents were trying to flee at safe places by any means possible. To make matters worse, a strong typhoon hit the region at about the same time as the earthquake that caused fires to spread rapidly. Roaring through the wooden houses of Yokohama and Tokyo, it burnt everything and everyone in its path, and it took two whole days to get the fires under control.
About 142,800 people were estimated to have died in this devastating natural event, including about 40,000 who went missing and were pronounced dead. In 1960, the government declared September 1 as the annual "Disaster Prevention Day" on the 37th anniversary of the earthquake.