1948 Fukui earthquake

The 1948 Fukui earthquake (福井地震, Fukui jishin) occurred in Fukui Prefecture, Japan. The magnitude 6.8 quake struck at 5:13:31 p.m.(JDT) on June 28, 1948. The quake's hypocenter was approximately 10 km north-northeast of Fukui, in the present-day neighborhood of Maruoka, Sakai City.[6] The strongest shaking occurred in the city of Fukui, where it was recorded as 6 (equivalent to the current 7) on the Japan Meteorological Agency seismic intensity scale.

1948 Fukui earthquake
福井地震
1948 Fukui earthquake is located in Japan
1948 Fukui earthquake
1948 Fukui earthquake is located in Fukui Prefecture
1948 Fukui earthquake
UTC time1948-06-28 07:13:31
ISC event897413
USGS-ANSSComCat
Local dateJune 28, 1948 (1948-06-28)
Local time16:13:31 JST
Magnitude6.8 Mw[1]
Depth10 km (6.2 mi)[1]
Epicenter36.16°N 136.22°E / 36.16; 136.22[1]
TypeIntraplate earthquake
Areas affectedJapan
Total damageUS$ 1 billion[2]
Max. intensityIX (Violent) [2]
JMA 6 (now equivalent to JMA 7)
Casualties3,769 dead[3][4][5]
22,203 injured [4][5]

Overview

The earthquake devastated Fukui, which was still recovering from damage sustained during WWII air raids in July 1945. Damage across the entire Fukuiheiya flood plain into neighboring Ishikawa prefecture. Official casualty estimates totaled 3,769 dead and 22,000 wounded, with more than 36,000 buildings completely destroyed. In the Kanazugocho district (modern-day eastern Arawa); Maruoka and Harue; and Yoshida District, nearly every building was leveled. In central Fukui city, which was adjacent to the epicenter, approximately 79% of structures were completely destroyed, while the overall destruction rate across the Fukuiheiya floodplain surpassed 60%. Fires caused by the earthquake compounded the destruction.

The quake also seriously damaged the embankments of the Kuzuryū River. Record-setting rain in the weeks following the quake subsequently caused the levees to burst, leading to massive flooding.

Although three years of war damage, earthquake damage, fire damage, and flood damage reduced the city to ashes, it continued to rebuild. In honor of the citizens' resilience, the Fukui citizen's charter proclaims Fukui "City of the Phoenix."

Geology
Seismic intensity map of 1948 Fukui earthquake

This earthquake was caused by a previously unknown strike-slip fault. The fault stretches from Kanazu to Fukui,[7] with a length of 25 km (16 mi), and was later named the "Fukui Earthquake Fault". Shaking was felt as far as Mito in the east, and Saga in the west.

Damage
Daiwa department store after the earthquake

Damage was most reported in the Fukui plain, where the building collapse rate was more than 60%, since shaking became larger due to it being an alluvial plain, and many of the buildings were just built after the war and a little unstable.

As many people were cooking when the earthquake struck, many fires spread after the quake. Since the roads and the waterworks were damaged it took five days to put out the fires and so the fires caused devastating damage.

Even though the Daiwa Department Store collapsed, the Fukui Bank building right next to it had no significant damage. It is thought to have been because the Fukui Bank building had about 500 deep foundation pipes 10 meters deep in the ground.

Almost all of the farmers' houses in the epicenter area collapsed, but most of the farmers were outside so there were not many casualties.

Total damage[4][5][8]
PrefectureCasualtiesDamaged houses
DeathsInjuriesCollapsedHalf collapsedBurned
Fukui 3,72821,75035,38210,5423,851
Ishikawa 414538021,2740
Total 3,76922,20336,18411,8163,851

Damage in Fukui City
Total damage in Fukui City
Dead 930
Collapsed buildings 12,270
Half collapsed buildings 3,158
Burnt buildings 2,069
Building collapse rate 79.0%
Fires 24
Burnt area 2,120,600 m2

Casualties

At the time, it was the deadliest earthquake after the Pacific War (now superseded by the Great Hanshin earthquake and the Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami). This earthquake killed 3769 people, mainly in Sakai City (then part of Fukui City), where the death rate was more than 1%.

Property damage

Other

Influence

See also
Wikimedia Commons has media related to 1948 Fukui earthquake.

References
  1. ISC (2015), ISC-GEM Global Instrumental Earthquake Catalogue (1900–2009), Version 2.0, International Seismological Centre
  2. "Significant Earthquake".
  3. "気象庁 | 過去の地震・津波被害". Archived from the original on 2013-01-19. Retrieved 2012-12-24.
  4. "福井県の地震活動の特徴 – 地震調査研究推進本部". www.jishin.go.jp.
  5. "石川県の地震活動の特徴 – 地震調査研究推進本部". www.jishin.go.jp.
  6. Japan Meteorological Agency Shindo Database Search Retrieved August 16, 2008
  7. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2016-04-20. Retrieved 2012-12-25.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  8. 宇佐美龍夫『新編日本被害地震総覧』東京大学出版会、1987年
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