On January 17, 1995, a powerful earthquake hit the city of Kobe, Japan. Many buildings burned or collapsed. Part of an expressway fell over. Train lines were damaged, so trains could not run, and supplies of electricity, gas and water were cut off. Soon after the earthquake was over, people in Kobe began working together to save their city. Neighbours pulled each other out of collapsed buildings. Ordinary people put out fires even before the fire trucks arrived. Volunteers in Kobe organised themselves into teams. They worked out a system to send help to where it was needed. Some people brought food, water, clothes, and electric generators to different parts of the city. Other teams searched for belongings in damaged stores and homes. Some volunteers took care of the children who had lost their parents. Teams of volunteers from outside Japan helped, too. A rescue team with search dogs came from Switzerland. A group of doctors called
Doctors Without Borders came from all over the world. A group called the International Rescue Corps also sent its members to help. Today, Kobe has been rebuilt. But people there still remember the outpouring of support they received from all over the world back in 1995.
Question 31. In 1995, Japan was hit by ______.