Thoughts on evacuation during pandemic
By Denise
@petatonicsca (7070)
Japan
May 15, 2020 9:06pm CST
I hope all my friends in the Philippines and Taiwan stay safe and dry from the typhoon! We are not feeling it up here in Tokyo but today we are having rain for the first time in a few days. It's a nice spring rain so it's good. The last one we had was a huge downpour and we had flooding alerts.
The Japanese government usually issues evacuation orders for anyone who is in danger of flooding or landslides, and opens up the local evacuation centers (usually schools or city buildings). Now they are encouraging us ahead of typhoon season to rethink where we can evacuate to if our area is in danger. Their suggestions: a relative's house or acquaintances' house in a safe zone, hotels, upstairs in your own house if no danger of "sediment disasters", and lastly if you have to, they will open the public evacuation spaces. I sure hope we don't have to test this out. My house is high and not in flooding or landslide danger but my friends in Kyushu usually have to evacuate a few times every summer.
How is your area handling the idea of evacuation centers during a pandemic? Depending on your area, earthquakes, fires, floods, landslides etc. all seem to be in the "season" (well, not seasonal earthquakes, but Nevada just had a 6.5). Stay safe and make sure you have a mask in your bugout bag!
5 people like this
4 responses
@Alexandoy (65302)
• Cainta, Philippines
16 May 20
In the news last night, the evacuation centers are filled up to 50% capacity only to afford social distancing. Face masks and other needs for safety are distributed.
1 person likes this
@petatonicsca (7070)
• Japan
16 May 20
I suspect my school (designated shelter, but never been used as such yet) may be asked to open for the same reason sometime during this typhoon season.
1 person likes this
@Alexandoy (65302)
• Cainta, Philippines
16 May 20
@petatonicsca unlike here, I guess the evacuation shelters there would be stricter in the measures against the virus contamination.
@petatonicsca (7070)
• Japan
16 May 20
@Alexandoy I wouldn't be too sure about that. However, a lot of progress was made after 2011 about putting up at least half-barriers made of cardboard in evacuation centers. Many people invested in a small pop-up tent and I've seen those used in some earthquake situations (before pandemic of course).
1 person likes this
@petatonicsca (7070)
• Japan
16 May 20
I grew up in tornado country. My school was destroyed in the Palm Sunday outbreak in 1965. I hate tornadoes!
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (381815)
• Rockingham, Australia
16 May 20
It's good that you wouldn't need to evacuate. We've never had any need to either. I guess a big bushfire might make us vulnerable but that's all.
@petatonicsca (7070)
• Japan
16 May 20
Good that you are safe. One thing I like about Japan is that people are generally polite and try to follow guidelines for their safety, whether it be wearing masks or evacuating. The problem is social distancing; we haven't got enough room in our stores and on our paths to stay 2 meters away from each other! I hope they can get up in terms of economy. Fortunately the people in my family have not lost jobs.
