The Hanshin Earthquake which hit on January 17, 1995 and measured 7.2 on the Richter scale, killed 6,430 people, injured more than 40,000 people, and destroyed or partially destroyed more than 510,000 houses. The damage, including to public facilities, was estimated at about 10 trillion yen. Moreover, on July 10 in the same year (1995), the Taipei City Government's Fire Department was restructured, and to enhance public disaster preparedness education, helped the public understand disasters, and the importance of learning about disaster preparedness and response, It also began planning Taiwan's first disaster prevention scientific education museum.