The Tokyo Firestorm – After the 1923 Great Kanto Earthquake
Description
On September 1, 1923, a magnitude 7.9 earthquake struck Japan’s Kanto region, devastating Tokyo and Yokohama. But the worst was yet to come. The quake ignited hundreds of fires, fueled by overturned stoves and broken gas lines, which merged into a massive firestorm driven by strong winds.
The inferno consumed entire districts, with temperatures so intense that iron warped and glass melted. One of the greatest tragedies occurred at the Rikugun Honjo Hifukusho army depot, where nearly 38,000 people perished in minutes. Adding to the devastation, a tsunami swept coastal areas, claiming more lives.
By the end, around 140,000 people were dead or missing, and over half a million homes were destroyed. The disaster spurred major reforms in urban planning, building codes, and disaster preparedness, while leaving a permanent mark on Japanese history and collective memory.
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