Commemoration of the 23rd anniversary of the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake in Japan

According to Japanese media reports, on the 17th of this month, exactly 23 years have passed since the Hanshin Awaji earthquake in Japan, which killed 6,434 people. In hard-hit areas such as Kobe City, the bereaved family observed a moment of silence at 5:46 a.m. local time at the time of the earthquake to express their condolences to their deceased loved ones.

According to reports, about 7,000 bamboo lanterns were lit in the "Higashi Yuenji" park in Kobe City's Chuo-ku district, posing as the number "1.17" to commemorate the date of the earthquake on January 17.

In addition, the bamboo lantern also displayed the word "transmission" selected after the national public solicitation, expressing the desire of local residents to inform the world of the earthquake situation and pass it on to future generations. The survivors and the victims of the disaster quietly mourned the victims by the bamboo lanterns.

In the Great Hanshin Awaji Earthquake, a strong shaking with a maximum magnitude of 7 (Japanese standard) caused many buildings to collapse, and many fires occurred, including those who died indirectly afterwards, killing a total of 6,434 people.

Exactly 23 years after the earthquake struck, as of November last year, of the approximately 32,000 people who lost their homes and entered the "revival house", 51.8% of the elderly are over the age of 65, and the proportion of the elderly is increasing.

After the earthquake, the relevant departments carried out a "guardianship activity" for the elderly to confirm the health status of the elderly, but there were not many "reconstruction funds" in Hyogo Prefecture and other places that funded the activities. It is unclear in what form local governments in Japan will continue to provide support, but the resolution of such issues has ushered in an important milestone.