Opinions and Responses

Regarding Flooding in the Oshitate Area

The Oshitate area is close to the Tama River and has a very high risk of flooding. However, we do not know the means of evacuation. Older Adults will have to surrender their driver's licenses in a few years. What methods should we use to get to the designated evacuation centers?
There are also places where farmland has become wasteland because there is no one to inherit it. Would it be possible for the city to purchase that land and build an evacuation shelter?
Does the city have an understanding of how many Older Adults and people with disabilities live in the Oshitate area? This is no longer a problem on the other side of the river. Looking at the current weather conditions, it could happen to us tomorrow. We ask the city to sincerely face this reality and take measures as soon as possible.

Response

When the risk of flooding from the Tama River increases, we fully understand the concerns about means of transportation for those who require more time to evacuate, such as Older Adults.
First, by regularly consulting with family, relatives, friends, and acquaintances and deciding on evacuation methods and alternative evacuation sites besides designated shelters in advance, it becomes possible to evacuate safely and with peace of mind.
When there is a risk of the Tama River's water level rising, such as when a typhoon is approaching, the city shares information with the meteorological observatory and about weather information starting several days in advance, and collaborates with the Keihin River Office of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, which manages the Tama River, to share information regarding the expected water levels and flood risks, and issues warnings to the citizens.
Also, when a typhoon approaches and the water level of the Tama River rises, and the risk of reaching a dangerous water level within a few hours increases, evacuation information for "Alert Level 3: Evacuation of Older Adults, etc." will be issued. To enable residents of the Oshitate area to evacuate to shelters, buses will be operated from the Oshitate Fureai Hall to shelters designated by the city until the evacuation information for "Alert Level 4: Evacuation Order" is issued, providing support for evacuation.
Additionally, with the individual's consent, elderly people and others who require assistance are registered as persons needing support for evacuation actions, and efforts are made to establish a support system for regular monitoring and assistance in emergencies.
Please note that evacuation shelters are not designated within the anticipated inundation areas of the Tama River, as doing so could pose physical dangers to evacuees.
The city has decided that when the risk of flooding from the Tama River increases, evacuation information will be issued early through various communication methods, taking into account the time required for evacuation.

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