Tsunami Group Evacuations of Nursery Schools in Cold, Snowy Areas: Case Study of Licensed Nursery Schools in Kushiro, Hokkaido

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  • 積雪寒冷地における保育園の津波集団避難——北海道釧路市における認可保育園を事例に——
  • 積雪寒冷地における保育園の津波集団避難 : 北海道釧路市における認可保育園を事例に
  • セキセツ カンレイチ ニ オケル ホイクエン ノ ツナミ シュウダン ヒナン : ホッカイドウ クシロシ ニ オケル ニンカ ホイクエン オ ジレイ ニ

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Abstract

<p>Childcare research in geography has investigated the relationship between guardians picking up children and daily activities, as well as the management of nursery schools. There have, however, been few studies dealing with unusual, unexpected daily life events and childcare. In Japan, concerns about tsunamis have increased, and it is thought that evacuations in cold, snowy areas would pose special difficulties. The purpose of this study was to understand the situation around and problems related to tsunamis and group evacuations from licensed nursery schools in a cold, snowy area. The area selected for the study formerly belonged to Kushiro municipality in Hokkaido and is a cold, snowy, tsunami inundation-prone area with a large population.</p><p>There are 25 licensed nursery schools in this area, and of these 18 are now located in areas of potential inundation by tsunamis according to the guidelines for the probability of inundation. Among these nursery schools, this study focused on nine that are expected to be subject to more than 6.0 m of inundation if tsunamis occur.</p><p>First, comparing the places planned to serve as refuges before and after the Great East Japan Earthquake, the number of stories of buildings suitable as shelters has increased, resulting in the availability of fewer public facilities. Next, childcare activities that may be expected to affect the evacuation are walking to and from the nurseries and activities while attending them. The problem with group evacuations on foot is in their organization, and that with the return home from the nursery school is a shortage of potential helpers.</p><p>In conclusion, two problems related to winter evacuations in a cold, snowy area were identified. First, there are few high-rise buildings around nursery schools, and when long-distance evacuation is necessary, it should be assumed that achieving it rapidly is impossible because walking speed decreases with snow coverage or road surface freezing. Second, when there is no heating in a shelter where infants may have to remain in cold conditions, it is likely that they will become ill. Nursery schools are therefore requesting that the local government provide extensions of the planned shelters and installation of heating equipment in them.</p><p>From the above, this study points to more difficulties in tsunami evacuations of nursery schools in cold, snowy areas in winter than in summer. To resolve these difficulties, rescue and assistance by the local government to optimize the self-help available to nursery schools with mutual aid provided by local residents are needed.</p>

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