2014 Hiroshima landslides

On 20 August 2014, Hiroshima Prefecture in Japan was struck by a series of landslides following heavy rain. Seventy-four people were reported dead. According to the police, the dead included three boys aged two, three and eleven.[2][3]

A house shed by debris flow
Rescue operation

2014 Hiroshima landslides
Location of Hiroshima Prefecture in Japan
Date20 August 2014 (2014-08-20)
LocationHiroshima Prefecture, Japan
Also known as広島土砂災害(Hiroshima Dosha Saigai), 平成26年8月19日からの豪雨災害(Heisei 26-nen 8 tsuki 19-nichi Kara no Gōu Saigai)
CauseLandslide due to heavy rain
Deaths74[1]
Non-fatal injuries69[1]
Missing0[1]

Cause

Following torrential rain in which a month's worth fell in a single day, several landslides were triggered near a mountain beside the city of Hiroshima.[2] Asakita-ku was the hardest-hit ward. It received 217.5 millimetres (8.56 in) of rain from 1:30 am to 4:30 am causing two landslides which occurred between 4 am and 6 am. Hiroshima issued an evacuation advisory at 4:15 am. Mayor Kazumi Matsui confessed regret over the advisory's late issuance and recommended that the city study the incident to improve the process.[4]

Under the law which took effect in 2001, prefectural governments and other authorities must carry out on-site research to designate areas for which evacuation plans and hazard maps will be created. In Hiroshima there are about 32,000 possibly dangerous areas, the highest of all 47 prefectures.[5]

Casualties
Landslide damage

As of 20 September 2014, at least 70 people have died as a result of the landslides. One of the dead was a rescue worker killed after the hillside collapsed a second time.[2] Two children, aged 2 and 11, died in a mudslide in Asaminami-ku around 3:20am.[4] The number of casualties was initially feared to be 100.[6] The number missing was reported to be 52 on the morning of 22 August, but in the afternoon it was revised to 47,[7] then to 46 on the morning of the 23rd, and later on the morning of the same day to 43.[8] On 9 September, police announced that they had found one body, which has since been identified.[9] Another body was found on 18 September,[10] which has since then been also identified.[11]

On 23 August, Hiroshima city was considering publishing a list of missing persons to speed up safety confirmation.[12] A missing persons list with 28 names in it was published on 25 August.[13] As of 19 September, all bodies of 28 of those listed have been found and identified.[11][14]

Burials for two of the youngest victims – eleven years old and two years old – and the firefighter, were conducted on 22 August.[15][16]

Buddhist memorial service was held on 23 September[17] and Shijukunichi[lower-alpha 1] service for ten victims on 28 September,[18] for several others on 4 October[19] and officially on 7 October.[20]

Rescue efforts

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe directed the military to deploy hundreds of personnel to assist the local rescue teams.[2] Japanese Red Cross[21] and the NPO Peace Winds Japan[22] also sent staff, and an estimated 1,300 people have volunteered. Disaster Volunteer of Hiroshima City decided to discontinue activities on 24 August.[23] Volunteers continued later, but stopped temporarily on 4 September because of bad weather.[24]

An estimated 2,000[25]–3,600[26] rescuers consisting of firefighters, police and members of the Self-Defense Force took part in searching and clearing debris despite rain and dangerous conditions that hampered and sometimes halted their efforts. There was also ongoing risk for a secondary disaster, and more rain was forecast for the area.[27][lower-alpha 2] Consequently, residents on Asakita and Asaminami were told to evacuate.[28] Because schools were being used as shelters, several had to postpone the start dates.[29] All elementary school shelters were closed 1 November.[30]

Evacuation advisories were partially lifted for Asaminami-ku on Sunday, 31 August, allowing about 14,400 persons (around 5700 households) to return to their homes.[31]

Number of persons and households in shelters, by date:

Date Persons(approx.) Households (approx.)
Sunday 31 August[32] 1,010 470
1 September[33][34] 950 450
2 September[35] 880 410
3 September[36] 810 390
4 September[37] 970 460
5 September[38] 800 390
6 September[39] 690 350
7 September[40] 660 340
8 September[41] 660 330
9 September[42] 630 320
10 September[43][lower-alpha 3] 110 70
11 September[44] 100 60
12 September[45] 100 60
13 September[46] 80 50
14 September[47] 100 50
15 September[48] 100 50
16 September[49] 70 50
17 September[50] 80 40
18 September[51] 80 50
19 September[52] 80 40
20 September[1][lower-alpha 4] 80 40
21 September[1] 80 40
22 September[1] 70 40
23 September[1] 80 40
24 September[1] 90 50
25 September[1] 270 140
26 September[1] 80 40
27 September[1] 70 30
28 September[1] 50 30
29 September[1] 50 30
30 September[1] 50 30
1 October[1] 50 30
2 October[1] 50 30
3 October[1] 60 30
4 October[1] 50 30
5 October[1] 50 20
6 October[1] 80 40
7 October[1] 40 30
8 October[1] 30 20
9 October[1] 40 20
10 October[1] 40 20
11 October[1] 40 20
12 October[1] 30 20
13 October[1] 50 30
14 October[1] 70 40
15 October[1] 40 20
16 October[1] 30 20
17 October[1] 40 20
18 October[1] 40 20
19 October[1] 30 20
20 October[1] 30 20
21 October[1] 30 20
22 October[1] 30 20
23 October[1] 30 20
24 October[1] 30 10
25 October[1] 20 10
26 October[1] 20 10
27 October[1] 20 10
28 October[1] 20 10
29 October[1] 20 10
30 October[1] 20 10
31 October[1] 20 10
1 November[1] 20 10
2 November[1] 10 10
3 November[1] 10 10
4 November[1] 10 10
5 November[1] 10 10
6 November[1] 10 10
7 November[1] 10 10
8 November[1] 10 10
9 November[1] 10 10
10 November[1] 10 10
11 November[1] 10 10
12 November[1] 10 10
13 November[1] 10 10
14 November[1] 10 10
15 November[1] 10 10
16 November[1] 10 10
17 November[1] 10 10
18 November[1] 10 10
19 November[1] 10 10
20 November[1] 10 4
21 November[1] 10 3
22 November[1] 10 3
23 November[1] 10 3
24 November[1] 10 3
25 November[1] 10 3
26 November[1] 10 3
27 November[1] 10 3
28 November[1] 10 3
29 November[1] 10 2
30 November[1] 10 2
1 December[1] 10 2
2 December[1] 10 2
3 December[1] 10 2
4 December[1] 3 1
5 December[1] 3 1
6 December[1] 3 1
7 December[1] 3 1
8 December[1] 3 1
9 December[1] 3 1
10 December[1] 3 1
11 December[1] 3 1
12 December[1] 3 1
13 December[1] 3 1
14 December[1] 3 1
15 December[1] 3 1
16 December[1] 3 1
17 December[1] 2 1
18 December[1] 2 1
19 December[1] 2 1
20 December[1] 2 1
21 December[1] 2 1
22 December[1] 2 1
23 December[1] 2 1
24 December[1] 2 1
25 December[1] 2 1

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe planned to visit the disaster area on the morning of 24 August, but bad weather postponed his visit by one day.[53]

Emperor and Empress visited Hiroshima 3 December. Their Majesties observed damage, met survivors, SDF personnel, firefighters, police and volunteers.[54]

5 September Cabinet of Japan meeting estimated that 900 million yen is needed for Hiroshima's recovery. (The valuation of the damage caused by the landslide is incomplete.)[55]

Hiroshima prefectural and municipal governments decided to provide 157 public housing units, for evacuees, free of charge. Officials were forced to hold a lottery after 284 households applied. Local governments are also preparing to build temporary housing for those who lost their homes.[56] The procedures will begin on 28 August, which is also the earliest day tenants can move in.[57] According to the city, municipal housing is provided rent-free for up to a maximum six-month stay, as a general rule.[58]

On 2 September, officials issued a new evacuation advisory to parts of Asaminami-ku, fearing that a nearby slope might collapse and cause more damage. This affected around 2,520 persons(about 980 households).[59]

Voluntarily evacuation order was issued 24 September to districts of Asakita and Asaminami-ku because Typhoon 16.[60] At next day, part of it was cancelled.[61]

On 1 October and further 7 October and 17th, evacuation advisories were cancelled for several parts of area.[62][63][64]

On 20 November, last evacuation advisory was cancelled and 42 people (16 households) were able to return to their homes.[65]

The last shelter was closed 25 December.[66]

See also

Notes
  1. Lit. "Forty-nine Days." Memorial service to be held forty-ninth day after a person's death.
  2. *The rain advisory issued on 24 August by the Japan Meteorological Agency was removed temporarily when advisories were updated at 11:16 JST, 26 August 2014 *Issued again at 14:35 JST, 27 August 2014 until 19:11 JST, 27 August 2014 *Issued again at 16:49 JST, 3 September 2014 and removed at 16:08 JST, 4 September 2014. *Issued again at 11:14 JST, 6 September 2014 until 18:52 JST, 6 September 2014 *Issued at 13:48 JST, 8 September 2014(At 14:40 JST, 12 September 2014, advisory was changed to "Dry Air"-advisory for most of the prefecture.), removed at 21:10 JST, 14 September 2014. *Advisory issued 15:55 JST, 24 September 2014 because typhoon, removed 13:35 JST, 25 September 2014.*Advisory issued 04:08 JST, 2 October 2014 (changed from "Dry Air"-advisory 16:23 JST, 5 October 2014, because typhoon.), removed 18:10 JST, 6 October 2014.*Issued 23:37 JST, 8 October 2014, removed 12:53 JST, 10 October 2014.*Issued 10:11 JST, 12 October 2014, later updated from advisory to warning. Downgraded back to advisory 21:24 JST, 13 October 2014(changed to "Dry Air"-advisory at 10:03 JST, 14 October 2014), removed 21:23 JST, 19 October 2014.*Issued 16:06 JST, 21 October 2014, removed 16:15 JST, 22 October 2014.*Issued 01:49 JST, 27 October 2014, removed 13:41 JST, 27 October 2014.*Issued 04:22 JST, 9 November 2014(changed to "Dense Fog-advisory" 21:20 JST, 9 November 2014), removed 20:13 JST, 11 November 2014*Issued 16:12 JST, 12 November 2014(changed to "Dry Air"-advisory at 16:11 JST, 13 November 2014), removed 20:05 JST, 16 November 2014.
  3. Counting method was changed. Numbers are headcount of evacuees from "last night at clock 22:00" instead persons recorded.(in this case, 9.9, at 22:00)
  4. Source was changed. Hiroshima Prefecture no longer publishes notices.

References
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