Disaster supplies: Make well-planned preparations to support lives of evacuees

To protect the physical and mental health of people affected by a disaster, it is important to secure sufficient food and supplies to support the lives of evacuees. The central and local governments should, in cooperation with private organizations and businesses, make preparations in a planned manner.

The central government has released the results of a survey it conducted for the first time on the stockpiling of disaster supplies and equipment by prefectures and municipalities.

Most local governments had secured a certain amount of food and water, totaling 92.79 million servings of staple foods, such as rice and bread, and 29.70 million liters of drinking water nationwide.

The problem was that there were not enough supplies of other items to protect the living conditions of those affected. There were noticeable cases in which there were no stockpiles of cardboard beds or portable toilets. This would not be enough to support the lives of evacuees.

In the wake of the Noto Peninsula Earthquake last year, roads were cut off, and the transportation of relief supplies was delayed. The poor conditions at evacuation centers were one of the factors that led to an increase in disaster-related deaths.

To prevent a recurrence of such situations, it is important to have the necessary supplies in place from normal times, ensuring a smooth initial response in the event of a disaster.

The central government revised its guidelines for local governments in December that included a requirement to comply with international standards for the living conditions needed at evacuation centers. The measures include the provision of “one toilet for every 20 people” and “a minimum living space of 3.5 square meters per person.”

From now on, the government plans to increase financial support for local governments and also make it compulsory for them to disclose their stockpile situation. Local governments should also take the international standards into account and work to secure the necessary supplies as quickly as possible. It is essential to take a flexible approach, such as stockpiling a greater amount in areas where isolation can be expected.

There may be limits to what municipal governments can do on their own. For this reason, support from the central and prefectural governments will be important.

The central government will establish seven new stockpiling bases for supplies across the country in addition to the one it has already set up in Tachikawa in western Tokyo. The government has also said it will encourage the registration of mobile toilets and food trucks from the private sector so they can be dispatched in the event of a disaster.

Portable toilets and cots are sure to be used in the wake of a disaster. If the central and prefectural governments prepare a certain amount of these items and provide them to the disaster areas, rather than leaving the matter up to the municipalities, it should lead to more efficient management of evacuation centers.

In Taiwan, where a powerful earthquake struck last year, partitions were set up and hot meals were served at evacuation centers immediately after the quake. This was the result of cooperation between local governments and private organizations and companies, learning from past earthquakes.

The division of roles that the central government, local governments and the private sector should play in the wake of a disaster must be decided in advance by taking overseas cases into account, too.

In the wake of a disaster, there will be a shortage of goods in supermarkets. Each household should also make sure it has prepared enough disaster supplies for the members to live off of for a certain period of time.

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Feb. 4, 2025)