Author(s): Satoru Sugio; Keisuke Murakami
Linked Author(s):
Keywords: Large-scale rainfall; Flooding; Inundation; Evacuation information; Damage minimization
Abstract: Typhoon 0514 struck Japan in September, 2005. Large-scale rainfall of a magnitude of about half the mean annual rainfall caused extensive flooding, inundation, and landslides at a lot of places in Miyazaki Prefecture. In many rivers in the prefecture, the water level exceeded the designed high water level in the lower reaches of the basin, and a total of 9, 100 homes were either destructed or inundated. Evacuation information was announced in three-quarters of the municipalities in the prefecture. However, many municipalities failed at risk management, and most of the residents underestimated their risk. Moreover, widespread confusion occurred during the support activities following the disaster. From an examination of a series of disasters due to large-scale rainfall in recent years, a governmental study committee proposed to change its disaster policy in an effort to minimize future damage. This new policy materialized in the measures taken in Miyazaki Prefecture. Some of the measures had immediate effects on the damage minimization efforts of communities.
Year: 2007