Efforts Underway to Improve Support for Potential Quake-Isolated Communities; Following Lessons Learned After Noto Quake

By Daiki Mishima / Yomiuri Shimbun Staff Writer

1:00 JST, September 2, 2024

SHIZUOKA — It is imperative to prepare for a massive earthquake in the Nankai Trough, as there is an estimated 70% to 80% chance of such an earthquake occurring within 30 years.

The Jan. 1 Noto Peninsula Earthquake highlighted potential challenges for a possible Nankai Trough earthquake, including the need to support communities likely to be isolated following natural disasters. Up to 2,500 communities are likely to be isolated in the event of a massive earthquake in the Nankai Trough, according to a government estimate.

In Shizuoka Prefecture, 402 communities are expected to be isolated. Among them, 121 are within 13 municipalities on the Izu Peninsula. Surveys conducted by the Shizuoka prefectural government and others after the Noto Peninsula earthquake revealed that some communities are facing food stock shortages and that the seismic resistance of their shelters is insufficient.

In order to get information about isolated communities and perform rescue operations in a speedy manner, the Shizuoka prefectural government and police have been making efforts such as conducting drills to prepare motorbikes for transportation via helicopter.

Wakayama Prefecture, where many coastal communities on the Kii Peninsula are likely to be isolated, plans to conduct a test to transport relief supplies by air using drones. Because a runway at the Noto Airport was rendered temporarily unusable by the Noto Peninsula Earthquake, the Wakayama prefectural government will examine to what extent the Nanki-Shirahama Airport will function in the wake of a natural disaster.

The Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism Ministry will launch measures to support communities likely to be isolated during natural disasters next fiscal year. While the ministry provides subsidies for 23 peninsular areas (194 municipalities in 22 prefectures), including the Izu and Kii peninsulas, to help them implement regional promotion and revitalization measures, it plans to add disaster prevention and preparation measures to the list of activities eligible for the subsidy program. The ministry has included \86 million in its budget request for the next fiscal year for such purposes as the use of drones under both normal conditions and during disasters, as well as covering half of the cost of creating disaster prevention manuals. “We will promote necessary measures and not leave places vulnerable to natural disasters behind” a senior ministry official said.