Japan marks ninth anniversary of deadly Kobe earthquake

TOKYO (AFP) Jan 17, 2004
Thousands of Japanese mourners Saturday marked the ninth anniversary of the 1995 earthquake that hit the western Japanese city of Kobe, killing 6,433 people and injuring some 43,700.

"I pray for the souls of those who passed in the earthquake," said Toshizo Ido, governor of Hyogo Prefecture, of which Kobe is the capital.

"And I want to show my respect to those who survived the disaster, who have lived with deep sadness," he said at a memorial event in the city, attended by some 4,500 people.

At noon, Ido joined other Kobe residents to observe a moment of silence at the memorial service.

The quake, measuring 7.3 on the Richter scale, struck the city some 430 kilometers (270 miles) west of Tokyo at 5:46 am (2046 GMT) and left at least 400,000 homeless.

Family members of quake victims gathered at parks before dawn for memorial services around the port city, lighting candles to remember their loved ones.

Several thousand people joined a "memorial walk" in the morning as light snow whirled in the winter sky.

"In this tenth year since the earthquake, we confirm the steps taken to reconstruct the city. And we will build a road from Hyogo leading to the future filled with peace," Ido said.

TERRA.WIRE