No evacuation plans for over half Japanese volcanoes

 September 24, 2015

No evacuation plans for majority of 50 active volcanoes: Mainichi survey

http://mainichi.jp/english/english/newsselect/news/20150924p2a00m0na005000c.html

No evacuation plans in the event of a volcanic eruption have been drawn up for 26 out of Japan's 50 active volcanoes that are constantly monitored by the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA), a survey by the Mainichi Shimbun found.

The Mainichi survey also found that no hazard map showing areas where volcanic eruptions could cause damage has been worked out for 11 active volcanoes. The revised Act on Special Measures concerning Active Volcanoes, which is due to take effect by January 2016, requires municipalities adjacent to the 50 active volcanoes (including three volcanoes that are scheduled to be added to the list) to compile evacuation plans and hazard maps. But the Mainichi survey revealed that measures against volcanic eruptions have not sufficiently been worked out partly because of a lack of a sense of crisis and insufficient coordination among relevant local governments.

The revised Act on Special Measures concerning Active Volcanoes was enacted in response to the eruption of Mount Ontake straddling Nagano and Gifu prefectures in September last year, which left 58 people dead and five others missing. The law obliges relevant municipalities near the 50 active volcanoes to establish disaster prevention councils, set eruption alert levels, and compile hazard maps and specific evacuation plans targeting local residents, climbers and tourists, among other steps. But there is no deadline set for working out the measures.

The Mainichi Shimbun asked relevant municipalities with secretariats for disaster prevention councils and other sources in September about their volcanic disaster prevention schemes. The Mainichi survey found that although about 30 percent of the municipalities had not set up disaster prevention councils before the eruption of Mount Ontake, all of the municipalities, except for those in Aomori and Akita prefectures near the Towada volcano, have already established such councils. The Towada volcano is to be added to the list of active volcanoes being constantly monitored by the JMA. Hazard maps, on the other hand, have already been drawn up for 39 volcanoes, but such maps have not been compiled for many active volcanoes such as those at Mount Norikura (Nagano, Gifu prefectures) and on the Izu Islands (Tokyo).

Disaster prevention councils for 19 volcanoes replied to the Mainichi survey that they have evacuation plans in place. But of the councils, those for eight volcanoes such as Mount Fuji (Yamanashi, Shizuoka prefectures) said they were working to revise their evacuation plans because they did not comply with the revised law that requires the designation of specific evacuation areas and evacuation routes. The councils for five volcanoes said some of the relevant municipalities were moving ahead of others to work out evacuation plans.

The disaster prevention councils for 26 volcanoes that have yet to compile evacuation plans said they have their own reasons for not doing so. For example, the council for Mount Chokai said, "There have been no signs of the volcano being activated," while the council for Mount Norikura said, "Because the scope of the volcano's impact is not clear." Other reasons for having not prepared evacuation plans include: "As there are many organizations related to volcanic disaster prevention, it is difficult for them to contact and coordinate and share information with one another." (Mount Azuma) and "It is difficult for town government staff with no expert knowledge to run a secretariat of the council." (Mount Kuju)

An official at the Cabinet Office in charge of disaster prevention research and planning said, "The government has been providing guidance for compiling evacuation plans, among other means, but we will properly extend support for compiling them early."