Cases of sudden death frdm cardiovascular disease and pneumonia increased transiently and suicide cases decreased tansiently after the great Hanshin-Awaji earthquake in Kobe City. These events were more common among males than females. Suicide by individuals in their thirties and fifties particularly showed a reduction in 1995. Although mortality from direct and mechanical force by earthquake was more conlmon in females than males, acute and subacute psychological an/or physical stress after major quake was more prevalent in males than females.
