KOBE, Jan 17 (News On Japan) - At 5:46 a.m. on January 17, 1995, a powerful earthquake struck Kobe, leaving widespread devastation in its wake. Taisuke Matsuzaki, a city official at the time, began documenting the aftermath using an 8mm video camera.
He captured scenes of rising smoke, caved-in roads, and displaced residents wandering without direction. Despite facing criticism for filming during the disaster, Matsuzaki believed it was essential to record the damage for future recovery efforts.
Matsuzaki's footage reveals the chaos and human resilience amidst the destruction. People waited to use phones, traffic was self-directed by drivers, and flames engulfed areas filled with chemical factories. Water shortages hindered firefighting, and entire neighborhoods were devastated. He documented these events until late at night, capturing over 15 hours of footage that contrasted starkly with the aerial views shown on television, focusing instead on the lives of those directly affected.
The earthquake overwhelmed the city's resources, with insufficient emergency services and widespread infrastructure collapse. Matsuzaki's recordings highlight the struggles of evacuees, the slow arrival of external assistance, and the dangers posed by collapsing buildings and spreading fires. Emergency vehicles faced severe traffic congestion, delaying critical aid for hours. By evening, areas he had walked through earlier were consumed by flames.
Source: ANN
