Consciousness of Disaster Risk and Tsunami Evacuation: A Questionnaire Survey in Okitsu, Kochi Prefecture

Abstract

The 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake forced a reevaluation of the effectiveness of disaster management facilities and strategies in coastal communities where damage due to an earthquake and resulting tsunami from the Nankai Trough can be expected. Specific areas subject to reevaluation include (i) individual-level topics in disaster risk management, such as the use of motor vehicles for evacuation, (ii) challenges initiated by government reappraisals of tsunami estimation, such as the safety of existing shelters, and (iii) low tsunami evacuation rates in areas at high risk of tsunami damage, despite evacuation orders issued at the time of the Great East Japan Earthquake. This study discusses the impact of these factors on the consciousness of residents in a community where we performed action research. The results of a questionnaire survey indicate that Okitsu residents have similar problems regarding tsunami evacuation as those revealed in the devastated areas of the Tohoku region. To promote disaster consciousness and improve tsunami evacuation rates, we suggest a new approach to evacuation drills called the single-person drill. This drill changes a community practice into an individual activity that we hope will involve more residents in disaster risk management, and ultimately contribute to their successful tsunami evacuation.