Regional Characteristics of Local Disaster Management Plans in the Northern Osaka Area, Osaka Prefecture

Abstract

1 16 7 7 This paper analyzes the local disaster management plans of seven cities in the northern Osaka area in Osaka prefecture Toyonaka, Ikeda, Suita, Takatsuki, Ibaraki, Minoh, and Settsu. I investigated the regional characteristics from a natural and socioeconomic perspective and whether the estimated amount of damage from a severe earthquake had been taken into account when countermeasures such as disaster prevention and emergency control were planned. I also examined whether these regional characteristics were reflected in the table of contents and damage estimates of the cities plans. Differences were found in the emergency disaster control measures, especially in the policies of the cities for dealing with accidents and fires. The cities also had differences in their policies for earthquakes, reflecting varying assumptions of the characteristics and severity of expected earthquakes. The estimates of damage due to natural disasters were based on postulated factors, taking into account the citys regional characteristics from a natural viewpoint. Some cities decided not to consider regional characteristics when deciding on key items even though those characteristics were similar from a socioeconomic perspective.