On January 17, 1995, a magnitude 7.2 earthquake struck Kobe, Japan. This disaster serves as a sobering message to the world. Although the magnitude of the event was similar to that of Northbridge Earthquake in Los Angelos a year before, the impact was far more severe. At least 5100 people lost their lives and an additional 27000 were injured, over 300 000 individuals were left homeless, and the reconstruction costs and associated economic impacts will be unprecedented. This event has clearly demonstrated that even urban communities in technologically advanced countries are vulnerable to catastrophic losses, even if they are situated in regions of low to moderate seismicity