A risk index of mega cities in the world.

In March 18th, the Untied Nations World Conference on Disaster Reduction will be held in Kobe city in Hyogo Pref. Kobe had a big earthquake in 1995 killed more than 6,000 people and caused damages exceeding $100 billion. I heard this is the most expensive natural disaster to date in history.

Then in this conference, Munich Re,the world's largest reinsurer will take in their report that released in last January 11. The report "Megacities-Megarisks" set a natural hazard risk index of the world. Here is a ranking.
No.1 Tokyo ---???
No.2 San Francisco ---167
No.3 Los Angels ---100
No.4 Osaka Kobe ---92
No.5 New York ---42
Tokyo is the worst, I could suppose it easily. However I was a little shocked the index. Accoding to the number of other countries, you suppose Tokyo will be 200? 250? Hmm 300? No way. it is 710!! 
I could only laugh when I read this article first.

Munich Re said hundreds of thousands of people will have damage and $3.3 billion if Tokyo or San Francisco were hit by a significant earthquake. Sooner or later big earthquake will come. In every 70 years, Tokyo had a big earthquake in its history, but 82 years has passed since last big one The Great Kanto Earthquake in 1923. Actually tomorow, tonight it may happen.  Anyway, when it happens and fortunately still I can survive. I will go back my parents home first. From my job to my parents home it is parhaps about 13km/14 miles way. The distance is not big deal for me.(as a yamanote walker), but way to home will be dengerous and hard to walk. The problem will be this bridge that crosses Tama river. Anyway my company gave me a helmet and I need to keep it at my desk. I thought it was an obstacle, but it would be useful in damage.
You plan to come here in your summer vacation? Still you want to visit Tokyo?

Comments

[Mari]

Hi Robert
I think you can make very cool, actually the coolest helmet in the world with your painting or photos... I really want you to paint to my such ugly helmet.

Hi Abraxis
You are trying to come Tokyo. That is great. Anyway Big cities has to bigger rist because of its population and traffics. But Tokyo is special anyway, please get a helmet frist here. :-p

Hi Julian
That is correct. Gozilla, mossla, Mosters of Ultrama.

Hi Bjorn
I am not sure this is true or not, but unfortunately we can trust buildings that is built up in last 10 years or so. In bubble years, construction company had a lot of demmands, so I heard they cut cost and skip some job. Before bubble some will be okay, but some do not have enough strength. After Awaji Hanshin big earthquake, the building standards got to be strict. So the buildings that are built up after 2000. Only these are okay.

[robert]

oh my gosh!!! that's it! Mari.. it's Godzilla. that's why the index is so high. Maybe it's time that monster took his wrestling act elsewhere. ®rz~*

[abraxis]

Strange...

I have been to all five of these cities...
I have lived in two (SFO, LAX)
I am frequent visitor to the remaining three
I'm trying to move to Tokyo.

Yah, am I just drawn to dangerous places or what? =)

[Julian Morrison]

In many films, monsters destroy Tokyo. And in history, earthquakes destroy it. Perhaps Tokyo is a special sort of city that's meant to be destroyed every so often? It reminds me of Ise shrine that gets torn down and rebuilt every 20 years. A very Japanese sort of thing!

[robert]

hmmm earthquakes. probably one of the most unnerving natural disasters because there is no place to get away from it unless you can fly. Personally, if I am in Tokyo when the "BIG ONE" hits.. I only require my trusty L.E.U. (Lip Extension Unit) so I can kiss my butt goodbye, because I would surely be one of those unlucky souls found under a pile of ex-skyscraper. Does it worry me? Will I cancel my vacation plans? Oh hell no! I get the bonus of an R.A.F. (Risk Avoidance Factor...and why the hell am I talking in acronyms today? You'd think I worked for the government or something.)Kind of like visiting an art gallery and a theme park at the same time. That thrill of knowing at any moment a bull could run straight through the China shop...that would be the porcelain and not the country for those of you not familiar with that colloquialism. Should I buy a helmet with a target on it? Would that be considered performance art?

[Bjorn]

Yes, we also have helmets at work - in very fashionable gray. I have to admit that I like the monthly medium sized earthquakes. They shake rather gently and I want to believe that they take away some tension from the tectonic plates. I really wonder how many buildings would be damaged in the next big one - all the new buildings are supposedly quake proof, right? I heard fresh water supply was a problem for the people in Kobe last time, so I've got several liters stored (+earth quake kit). But then again, who knows how much it will help. In the mean time - I think living in Tokyo feels pretty safe.
BTW, I guess in the worst case you could swim across Tamagawa?