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Monday, October 28, 2013
Wednesday, October 16, 2013
Do you know where your nearest earthquake proof shelter in Tsukuba is?
In follow up to the last post about earthquake proof shelters, here is some additional information.
I have prepared a google earth file showing all the locations of the shelters mentioned in the the table provided by Tsukuba city hall. First find the shelter closest to your house. Then use the table to determine whether or not the shelter is earthquake proof. This is denoted by o (yes) or x (no) in the column marked 耐震性の判定.
You can also find the construction year in Japanese years (s for showa emperor period, h for heisei) in the column marked 建築年. You can see that from showa 57, or 1982, the building code changed from old to new. It is not clear what the difference is between the old and new building codes from this table.
But why not also find the shelter closest to your work, or along the road to work? Please also remember if you have to go to a(n earthquake proof) shelter, there might not be sufficient facilities. You should always bring your own medication or additional items in case of e.g. pregnancy, and take in mind that the shelter might not be able to house your pet(s). Prepare a bag with items to bring to the shelter today, so you are not caught unprepared during the stressful period of a severe earthquake.
I have prepared a google earth file showing all the locations of the shelters mentioned in the the table provided by Tsukuba city hall. First find the shelter closest to your house. Then use the table to determine whether or not the shelter is earthquake proof. This is denoted by o (yes) or x (no) in the column marked 耐震性の判定.
You can also find the construction year in Japanese years (s for showa emperor period, h for heisei) in the column marked 建築年. You can see that from showa 57, or 1982, the building code changed from old to new. It is not clear what the difference is between the old and new building codes from this table.
But why not also find the shelter closest to your work, or along the road to work? Please also remember if you have to go to a(n earthquake proof) shelter, there might not be sufficient facilities. You should always bring your own medication or additional items in case of e.g. pregnancy, and take in mind that the shelter might not be able to house your pet(s). Prepare a bag with items to bring to the shelter today, so you are not caught unprepared during the stressful period of a severe earthquake.
Earthquake proof shelters in Tsukuba
In response to the news that only 56% of all evacuation shelters in Japan are earthquake proof, I asked the Tsukuba city hall which evacuation centers in Tsukuba were earthquake proof. I was sent an abundance of information, mainly in Japanese. The website provides among others an overview of each shelter (school) and the earthquake proof status.
They further explained:
Mainly primary and junior high schools are designated as the evacuation shelters.
The designated 16 primary schools, 15 junior schools, 16 kindergartens, the day care centers, the children’s halls and the social welfare centers are all checked for earthquake resistance. Some of the buildings which were not strong enough for earthquakes have been already strengthened or scheduled to be strengthened by the 2015 fiscal year. Please note that the schools as evacuation centers are controlled and maintained by each school.
So in 1.5 years at least in Tsukuba all the shelters will be compliant to the standards of earthquake proof buildings. I asked the assistance of a Japanese co-worker in translating the information and finding an actual 100% earthquake proof shelter (if such a thing is possible), near my house, so we wouldn't end up going to a not-or less earthquake proof shelter. The ensuing conversation proves I am in Japan.
Co-worker: "You know, the earthquake may not happen for a long time."
Me: "Or it could happen today. It is the 'statistical reality'."
Co-worker, after a dramatic silence: "...I have lived long enough..."
(At this point I'm disturbing other people as I cry out what a horrible thing it is to say...)
Let's not forget the news from 1.5 years ago: "The earthquake research institute at Tokyo University said that in the worst case, a quake of magnitude 7 would hit the southern part of metropolitan Tokyo by 2016, while the chances of a similar disaster occurring within 30 years are as high as 98%. The government, by contrast, estimates the possibility of an earthquake that size striking the capital at 70% in the next three decades."
I'm still trying to find out any scientific arguments why the government prefers to have a 30% chance of no earthquake over 2%.
Original news article from the Yomiuri Shimbun, October 11 2013:
Only about half of the designated evacuation sites in 44 prefectures are quake-resistant, according to a survey conducted by the Board of Audit. Out of the 90,262 shelters designated by 1,615 municipalities, 50,964, or 56.5 percent, could adequately withstand earthquakes, the board said Wednesday. The survey did not cover Iwate, Miyagi and Fukushima prefectures.
The survey has brought to the fore questions regarding the resistance of evacuation centers, as about 44 percent of them are not well prepared for secondary damage caused by aftershocks. Yet many people are expected to stay at such shelters if there is a massive quake, such as a Nankai Trough earthquake or a quake directly under the metropolitan area. Public facilities such as school buildings and community centers are designated as evacuation centers based on a regional disaster prevention plan mapped out by each municipal government.
The board, which received a request from the Diet to inspect the antiquake measures implemented at such shelters, conducted an oral survey of the local governments. The rate of earthquake-proofed school buildings has increased to 85.5 percent. The Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Ministry aims to complete reinforcing the school buildings against earthquakes by fiscal 2015.
However, reinforcement against seismic activities at other evacuation shelters such as community centers and assembly halls has not made much progress. In this area, the quake-proofing rate remained at less than 60 percent. By municipalities, 73.8 percent of shelters in ordinance-designated cities, 57.5 percent in other cities and wards and 49.3 percent in towns and villages are resistant to seismic shocks. The results show that towns and villages are far behind in taking measures compared to urban districts.
Meanwhile, among 1,615 municipalities, only 37.2 percent, or 600, have mapped out a manual on how to operate an evacuation center, such as what kind of arrangements for daily life should be made there. While 94.7 percent of ordinance-designated cities have drawn up their own manuals, only 21 percent of towns and villages have done so.
After the Great East Japan Earthquake in March 2011, hygiene problems in such places as restroom facilities and supply shortages cropped up at many shelters. The Cabinet Office, which has held meetings to improve the living environment at evacuation centers since October last year, compiled a report in March asking local governments to create manuals, set up guidelines to operate evacuation centers and explain how they plan to cope with issues that may occur at the shelters.
They further explained:
Mainly primary and junior high schools are designated as the evacuation shelters.
The designated 16 primary schools, 15 junior schools, 16 kindergartens, the day care centers, the children’s halls and the social welfare centers are all checked for earthquake resistance. Some of the buildings which were not strong enough for earthquakes have been already strengthened or scheduled to be strengthened by the 2015 fiscal year. Please note that the schools as evacuation centers are controlled and maintained by each school.
So in 1.5 years at least in Tsukuba all the shelters will be compliant to the standards of earthquake proof buildings. I asked the assistance of a Japanese co-worker in translating the information and finding an actual 100% earthquake proof shelter (if such a thing is possible), near my house, so we wouldn't end up going to a not-or less earthquake proof shelter. The ensuing conversation proves I am in Japan.
Co-worker: "You know, the earthquake may not happen for a long time."
Me: "Or it could happen today. It is the 'statistical reality'."
Co-worker, after a dramatic silence: "...I have lived long enough..."
(At this point I'm disturbing other people as I cry out what a horrible thing it is to say...)
Let's not forget the news from 1.5 years ago: "The earthquake research institute at Tokyo University said that in the worst case, a quake of magnitude 7 would hit the southern part of metropolitan Tokyo by 2016, while the chances of a similar disaster occurring within 30 years are as high as 98%. The government, by contrast, estimates the possibility of an earthquake that size striking the capital at 70% in the next three decades."
I'm still trying to find out any scientific arguments why the government prefers to have a 30% chance of no earthquake over 2%.
Original news article from the Yomiuri Shimbun, October 11 2013:
Only about half of the designated evacuation sites in 44 prefectures are quake-resistant, according to a survey conducted by the Board of Audit. Out of the 90,262 shelters designated by 1,615 municipalities, 50,964, or 56.5 percent, could adequately withstand earthquakes, the board said Wednesday. The survey did not cover Iwate, Miyagi and Fukushima prefectures.
The survey has brought to the fore questions regarding the resistance of evacuation centers, as about 44 percent of them are not well prepared for secondary damage caused by aftershocks. Yet many people are expected to stay at such shelters if there is a massive quake, such as a Nankai Trough earthquake or a quake directly under the metropolitan area. Public facilities such as school buildings and community centers are designated as evacuation centers based on a regional disaster prevention plan mapped out by each municipal government.
The board, which received a request from the Diet to inspect the antiquake measures implemented at such shelters, conducted an oral survey of the local governments. The rate of earthquake-proofed school buildings has increased to 85.5 percent. The Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Ministry aims to complete reinforcing the school buildings against earthquakes by fiscal 2015.
However, reinforcement against seismic activities at other evacuation shelters such as community centers and assembly halls has not made much progress. In this area, the quake-proofing rate remained at less than 60 percent. By municipalities, 73.8 percent of shelters in ordinance-designated cities, 57.5 percent in other cities and wards and 49.3 percent in towns and villages are resistant to seismic shocks. The results show that towns and villages are far behind in taking measures compared to urban districts.
Meanwhile, among 1,615 municipalities, only 37.2 percent, or 600, have mapped out a manual on how to operate an evacuation center, such as what kind of arrangements for daily life should be made there. While 94.7 percent of ordinance-designated cities have drawn up their own manuals, only 21 percent of towns and villages have done so.
After the Great East Japan Earthquake in March 2011, hygiene problems in such places as restroom facilities and supply shortages cropped up at many shelters. The Cabinet Office, which has held meetings to improve the living environment at evacuation centers since October last year, compiled a report in March asking local governments to create manuals, set up guidelines to operate evacuation centers and explain how they plan to cope with issues that may occur at the shelters.
Sunday, October 6, 2013
Tsukuba city disaster drill 2013
While I always wanted to research how an emergency drill would function for people with disabilities, I had to forego this chance exactly because of the disability.
Tsukuba city had its annual disaster drill this Sunday. Due to typhoon 22, it was raining earlier that week on Wednesday morning, when I optimistically rushed outside in my rain suit. I went down the stairs faster than expected as I had slipped half way through, falling on my hand and back. I merrily avoided a scaphoid fracture. However in combination with the program I started to follow this month on Saturdays in Tokyo, it proved to be too much to also visit the drill this year. So instead, here is a movie of me in action last year.
Information:
Disaster Drill for Foreigners of Tsukuba
Disaster Drill will be provided for foreign residents.
Date & Time: Sunday, 6 October 8:30 - 12:00
Location: The entrance of the City Hall
Language: There will be interpreters for some languages.
Applicants: 30 people
Application: Apply by calling ore e-mail before the event.
Contact: Tsukuba International Association
phone:029-869-7675
e-mail: ohki@inter.or.jp
Thank you and we hope the drill will give you good hints.
Tsukuba city had its annual disaster drill this Sunday. Due to typhoon 22, it was raining earlier that week on Wednesday morning, when I optimistically rushed outside in my rain suit. I went down the stairs faster than expected as I had slipped half way through, falling on my hand and back. I merrily avoided a scaphoid fracture. However in combination with the program I started to follow this month on Saturdays in Tokyo, it proved to be too much to also visit the drill this year. So instead, here is a movie of me in action last year.
Information:
Disaster Drill for Foreigners of Tsukuba
Disaster Drill will be provided for foreign residents.
Date & Time: Sunday, 6 October 8:30 - 12:00
Location: The entrance of the City Hall
Language: There will be interpreters for some languages.
Applicants: 30 people
Application: Apply by calling ore e-mail before the event.
Contact: Tsukuba International Association
phone:029-869-7675
e-mail: ohki@inter.or.jp
Thank you and we hope the drill will give you good hints.
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