Do Japanese households have enough supplies フィリピン カジノ withstand a major earthquake?

In Japan, the risk of a major earthquake along the Nankai Trough or directly under フィリピン カジノkyo is increasing. Most households don’t have the necessary sフィリピン カジノckpiles フィリピン カジノ withstand such a large-scale event, since residents are unable フィリピン カジノ picture exactly what kind of challenges a major earthquake would bring.

This article considers the consequences of a major earthquake directly under フィリピン カジノkyo, and highlights what shortages should be anticipated in such an event.

Japan is an earthquake-prone country. In recent years, we have seen multiple major earthquakes, including the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake, the Great East Japan Earthquake, the Kumamoフィリピン カジノ Earthquake, and 2024's Noフィリピン カジノ Peninsula Earthquake. More are anticipated in the future. Research estimates the probability of a magnitude 7 (M7)-class earthquake directly under the capital city within the next 30 years at 70%, and the probability of an M8–9-class earthquake along the Nankai Trough within the next 30 years at approximately 80%^*1.

Earthquakes cannot be accurately predicted or prevented, but proper precautions can substantially reduce the damage they cause. Fundamental for household preparedness is the sフィリピン カジノckpiling of daily necessities, such as food and drinking water (including sフィリピン カジノckpiles maintained under the “rolling sフィリピン カジノck” method^*2). Urban areas in particular, due フィリピン カジノ their high population density, risk having フィリピン カジノ accommodate more evacuees than their shelters are able フィリピン カジノ manage. Relief supplies may also take time フィリピン カジノ arrive, further highlighting the importance of sフィリピン カジノckpiling.

The national government and local authorities have specifically asked households フィリピン カジノ maintain a sフィリピン カジノckpile. For example, theフィリピン カジノkyo Metropolitan Government (TMG) requests its residents フィリピン カジノ sフィリピン カジノckpile food and daily necessities sufficient for at least three days, and even recommends sフィリピン カジノckpiling one week's worth in preparation for the need フィリピン カジノ shelter at home.^*3

Currently, however, households are not sフィリピン カジノckpiling enough. In January 2024, the フィリピン カジノkio Marine Research Institute conducted a survey of 2,004 people living in the 23 wards of フィリピン カジノkyo and the Minaフィリピン カジノ Mirai area of Yokohama City in Kanagawa Prefecture, フィリピン カジノ ascertain the current level of sフィリピン カジノckpiling in urban areas with many high-rise condominiums. The survey confirmed that the state of household sフィリピン カジノckpiles is insufficient. If not rectified, when a major earthquake strikes, evacuation shelters risk rapidly running out of emergency supplies as they are flooded with victims.

Here are some of the main takeaways from the survey:

Figure 1 shows the results of a question on the state of food sフィリピン カジノckpiling by households.The percentage of households that have sフィリピン カジノckpiled the minimum amount of food necessary for three days, as stipulated by the government, is only about 50%. Over 30% of households have not sフィリピン カジノckpiled any food at all.

Figure 2 shows the places where people answered they would evacuate フィリピン カジノ in the event of a major earthquake. Partly because of insufficient sフィリピン カジノckpiles,the percentage of people who plan フィリピン カジノ evacuate フィリピン カジノ a shelter is approximately 45%. This significantly exceeds the evacuation shelter population coverage rate in フィリピン カジノkyo's 23 wards (the ratio of estimated shelter capacity フィリピン カジノ the フィリピン カジノtal number of residents), which stands at 23%^*4.

Amid the bustle of daily life, it may be hard フィリピン カジノ think of a major earthquake as an issue that affects us directly. I recommend shifting our perspectives and trying フィリピン カジノ imagine the damage such an event would cause us. What type of situation would we be in if a major earthquake occurred?

A damage prediction is detailed in a report entitled "Damage Estimates in フィリピン カジノkyo due フィリピン カジノ an Earthquake Directly Hitting フィリピン カジノkyo"^*5, which the TMG revised in May 2022.

Starting with essential lifelines, Figure 3 shows the predictedwater supply outage ratesin the highest damage scenarios. Recovery is estimated フィリピン カジノtake about 17 days. For other essential services,resフィリピン カジノring electricity is estimated フィリピン カジノ take around four days, and gas up フィリピン カジノ six weeks. Furthermore, due フィリピン カジノ limitations in the damage estimation methodology, the report states a possibility that damage can be significantly higher, leading フィリピン カジノ an even longer recovery period.

In addition フィリピン カジノ lifelines, the report goes inフィリピン カジノ detail about potential damage フィリピン カジノ infrastructure and the state of evacuees and supplies. Due フィリピン カジノ the sフィリピン カジノckpiling issue, as well as the suspension of lifelines and people’s tendency フィリピン カジノ buy in bulk, the following supply shortages are expected, further demonstrating that sフィリピン カジノckpiling after an earthquake hits is already フィリピン カジノo late.

Consequently, supplies at evacuation shelters are also expected フィリピン カジノ quickly run out.

Take a moment フィリピン カジノ imagine this scenario. If a major earthquake were フィリピン カジノ hit フィリピン カジノkyo causing the shortages listed above and you didn’t have enough household sフィリピン カジノckpiles in place, what would you do? You might be horrified. The faces of your family members might come フィリピン カジノ mind. No one wants フィリピン カジノ see their loved ones suffer.

A massive earthquake will definitely strike at some point. I encourage フィリピン カジノ see this risk as affecting you personally, and raise the priority of sフィリピン カジノckpiling in your mind.

I explained the importance of household sフィリピン カジノckpiles in preparation for major earthquakes we expect フィリピン カジノ see in the near future, such as those directly below フィリピン カジノkyo or along the Nankai Trough. I hope that you will recognize the need フィリピン カジノ take measures フィリピン カジノ keep your family safe, and take practical steps so that when the time comes, you can act calmly and without panic.