Is your family home isolated?
The risk of road closures is increasing one after another...What can we do now?
March 11th 12:07
"Isolation of villages" became an issue after the Noto Peninsula earthquake.
This is not a big deal for areas that are at risk of damage from a Nankai Trough mega-earthquake.
It is assumed that many areas of Shikoku may become isolated.
I grew up in the mountains of Kochi Prefecture, and as I watched the news every day, I felt a sense of crisis about the isolation of local communities, so I researched the risks facing the local community with an earthquake geology expert.
Kochi Broadcasting Station Director
Mizuki Kataoka
Joined the station in 2022 Born
in Ino Town , Kochi Prefecture
Covers a wide range of local issues such as disaster prevention and regional development.
Shikoku Lashinban “Noto x Shikoku Disaster prevention that you want to think about now”
Currently being streamed on NHK Plus until March 15th (Friday)
(you can watch it from anywhere in the country)
What is the “isolation of villages” seen from the Noto Peninsula earthquake?
"Isolation of a village" is a situation where roads connecting to other areas are cut off, access from the outside is cut off, and the movement of people and distribution of goods becomes difficult or impossible.
It was announced 19 days after the Noto Peninsula earthquake that isolation would be resolved.
At one point, more than 3,300 people were stranded.
Yuka Yamaguchi, who experienced five days of isolation, was at a lodging facility she runs in Suzu City, Ishikawa Prefecture, at the time of the disaster.
Roads connecting the village to the outside world have been cut off by falling rocks and landslides, and cell phone service has been cut off.
About 50 people from surrounding villages were stranded and took shelter in Mr. Yamaguchi's accommodation.
Yuka Yamaguchi
: ``With the aftershocks continuing, I was worried about when I would be able to go to a safe place, and whether I would have enough food and water until rescue arrived.''
Isolation of villages cut off from information and food.
Mr. Yamaguchi says that he spent his days in a state where his life was constantly in danger and his spirit was worn down.
What damage is expected in Shikoku?
It is said that a huge Nankai Trough earthquake could occur at any time.
As of June 2019, the Cabinet Office estimates that there is a possibility of isolation in up to 1,377 villages whose main industry is agriculture and up to 181 villages whose main industry is fishing in Shikoku. It has been.
The risk of road closures is
In the Noto Peninsula earthquake, major roads were cut off due to landslides, falling rocks, and liquefaction, which led to isolation.
I investigated what kind of risks lurk in the mountainous area of Ino Town, Kochi Prefecture, where my parents live, with visiting professor Makoto Okamura of Kochi University, who specializes in earthquake geology.
Approximately 100 people live in the district, one in two of whom are over the age of 65.
Houses are lined up on the slopes along the river, and you must use the national highway to get out of the area.
There are three main routes that connect to the national highway.
Items that indicate the possibility of road disruption (1) “Sagging rockfall prevention net”
First, we headed for the northern route, Machido (1).
A road is built along the slope of the mountain.
Locals call it the "Old Road" and it is a road used for walking.
What Okamura focused on here was the ``rockfall prevention net'' that is often seen in mountainous areas.
Makoto Okamura, Visiting Professor, Kochi University
: ``Earthquakes cause mountain rock collapse, so these small things cannot prevent it.The only purpose is to maintain this road for the time being.This is a way to deal with small-scale collapses caused by rain.''
Although it is effective in preventing landslides that occur due to regular rain, it is said that it cannot withstand large earthquakes that cause mountain rock to collapse.
Indicating the possibility of road disruption (2) “dented guardrail”
The next place Mr. Okamura focused on was a landscape that can often be seen in mountainous areas.
It is said that there is a possibility of road closure here as well.
Mr. Okamura
: ``As you can see when you look at this guardrail, the stone hit it directly and the guardrail has been deformed.''
Director Kataoka
: ``Indeed. I thought it was hit by a car, but even if it was hit by a car, the top of the guardrail is dented in a round shape.''
The area where the guardrail was dented was approximately 10 meters long.
When I looked at the slope of the nearby mountain, I saw that sand and stones were already falling, and something called a ``Stone Guard'', which is stronger than a net, was used to prevent the rocks from falling.
Okamura points out that the slope in this location may not be able to withstand the shaking of a major earthquake.
Indicators of the possibility of road disruption (3) “Past landslide marks”
Next, we investigated ``Town Road (2),'' which exits from the west side to the national highway.
This is also a common sight in mountainous areas.
It is said that the risk of road closure can also be determined from this.
Mr. Okamura
: ``There is a ruin about 100 meters high that collapsed a long time ago, and it has been repaired by humans. There are also some holes in it and it has weathered. If that happened, this river would become blocked.''
It is said that once a slope has collapsed, there is a high possibility that it will collapse again, and in that case, this town road will become impassable.
Indicating the possibility of road disruption (4) “Large rocks scattered in the river”
The last place we headed was the bridge that leads to the national highway.
From the scenery we could see there, we could see that there was a possibility that the road would be cut off.
Mr. Okamura
: ``Look at that rock. It hasn't been carved by the river, so it's not round, but angular. A rock this big is the remains of a mountain that collapsed in a past big earthquake.''
The large, angular rocks are geologically thought to have fallen from the mountains due to large earthquakes in the past.
Director Kataoka
: “When I was little, that rock I used to swim and climb was telling me that this place was very prone to collapse.”
Similar large rocks were scattered over a distance of over 100m along this national highway.
Even if you can get on the national highway, there is a high possibility that the national highway itself is impassable.
Mr. Okamura
: ``There is a very high possibility that this area will become isolated. There are areas in Shikoku where houses are on steeper slopes than here. I have to.”
Investigate your parents' home: How to prepare to survive isolation
My hometown is said to be “highly likely to be isolated.”
How are the grandparents living there prepared?
My grandmother is 79 years old and my grandfather is 74 years old.
The two have lived in this area for nearly 50 years.
Director Kataoka:
“How would you feel if someone told you that you would be isolated?”
Grandfather
: "It's tough, it's tough. If you want to avoid isolation, you'll have to leave the area. But you've already lived 70 years. There's no way you can move from here."
My grandparents want to continue living on this land.
We talked about what we needed to do to survive.
Do you have water and food reserves?
Mr. Okamura
: “How much food do you currently have in stock?”
Grandfather
: "About 10 kg of rice. We have some ramen and dried noodles, but that's all."
I usually buy food once every 10 days.
There was nothing left for stockpiling.
What about health management/medication?
Grandparents also have to go to the hospital.
I was also concerned about how to manage my health when I was isolated.
Grandmother
: “It’s hard to find a toilet.”
Ms. Okamura
: ``For women, it's just that, so they put up with it. Doing so can lead to kidney damage.There are especially many women who put up with it.''
My grandparents each go to two different hospitals and take about six different medications every day.
For two people with chronic illnesses, not being able to take medicine could be life-threatening.
During the Noto Peninsula earthquake, people said that taking photos of their insurance cards and medication notebooks with their smartphones and having copies of them helped them communicate exactly what they needed.
Director Kataoka:
“Have you thought about a medicine notebook?”
Grandmother
: “No, no, no, I forgot my medicine notebook. Until now, it never occurred to me to take it with me when I ran away.”
Makoto Okamura, Visiting Professor, Kochi University
: ``It's easy because you can prepare it on a daily basis. Just make a few copies. So if possible, if you drive, put one in your car. A pharmacist can look at it and say, ``Ah!'' It's a very important way to connect lives.''
Isolation that I never expected.
After the discussion, the grandparents...
Grandfather
: ``After all, talking to everyone like this first-hand, I learned that the Noto earthquake happened, and it felt very close to my heart.''
Grandmother
: ``The Noto earthquake was a big deal. I thought it was just something else, but it really made me realize that we should be prepared and do things like that.''
Don't just say, "I'm worried," but take action.
Since the Great East Japan Earthquake, the need to "prepare for tsunamis" has been strongly talked about within Kochi Prefecture.
There must have been other damage caused by the Nankai Trough Earthquake, but even though I live in a mountainous area, I somehow thought that it would be okay because the tsunami wouldn't come.
After talking with my grandparents this time, I realized that simply saying, ``I'm worried'' won't help prepare them.
``Disaster prevention'' seemed to be a bit of a hurdle, but I learned that there are things we can do little by little.
To prevent houses from collapsing, make them earthquake-resistant, give them disaster prevention goods, move their furniture to a safe place when they return home, and casually talk about disaster prevention.
A small action like this can help save the lives of your family and the people you interact with.