The amount of destruction also has to do with how at what depth in the ground the quake occurs. It might have been a 7.2 but it was 16 km deep...which is pretty darn close to the surface.
Magnitude really doesn't depend on the actual shaking strength itself. It depends more on how much area it covers, and how long it lasts, and the frequency of the waves. Ground acceleration and the horizontal motion are what caused a lot of damage. The ground acceleration was really high (probably comparable to an 8.1 or higher) and horizontal waves are lot more deadly than up and down waves and there was mainly horizontal motion.
Doing a geography project on this earthquake at the moment :S For anyone who wants to know this earthquake measured 7.2 on the richter scale :O pretty big
7.2 isn't pretty big. Some earthquakes could reach 9 on the Richter scale, which is approximately 700 times more powerful than 7.2. The reason it's destructive it's because it struck a very densely populated area.
Liquifaction is why Kobe was so hit hard, the city was built on an ancient lake bed.
ogschizo 2 years ago
The amount of destruction also has to do with how at what depth in the ground the quake occurs. It might have been a 7.2 but it was 16 km deep...which is pretty darn close to the surface.
peachy871 2 years ago 5
Magnitude really doesn't depend on the actual shaking strength itself. It depends more on how much area it covers, and how long it lasts, and the frequency of the waves. Ground acceleration and the horizontal motion are what caused a lot of damage. The ground acceleration was really high (probably comparable to an 8.1 or higher) and horizontal waves are lot more deadly than up and down waves and there was mainly horizontal motion.
chucknorrisownsall 2 years ago 3
Doing a geography project on this earthquake at the moment :S For anyone who wants to know this earthquake measured 7.2 on the richter scale :O pretty big
ustolemysoul 3 years ago
7.2 isn't pretty big. Some earthquakes could reach 9 on the Richter scale, which is approximately 700 times more powerful than 7.2. The reason it's destructive it's because it struck a very densely populated area.
herunarivelice 2 years ago
odd....japan is my fav. place, but i din't know about this earthquake......wierd
bunnygirl178 3 years ago
really odd...japan is earthqauke my fav. place , but i din't even know about this earthquake!
bunnygirl178 3 years ago
Wow this is just crazy.
12Ang122 3 years ago