Zenbird Editorial TeamLast week on August 13, Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) issued a Level 5 Emergency Warning for heavy rain across 22 municipalities in Chiba Prefecture, after record-breaking rainfall (over 100mm in a single hour in some areas). There was widespread flooding and power outages, even resulting in loss of lives. A parallel Level 5 warning was also issued for landslide risk in Chiba City and Ichihara City, the first time a Level 5 landslide special warning had been issued since that system began operating in May.
What are these emergency warnings, and what are they based on?
The Emergency Warning System determines risk and action
The warnings come from The Emergency Warning System, which links two things together: the danger of a disaster occurring and the action residents should take.
The scale covers four types of disaster information. These include river flooding (for large rivers), heavy rain (flooding of low-lying land or smaller waterways), landslides/sediment disasters, and storm surge. They are then mapped to the actions residents should take.
It originates from Cabinet Office evacuation guidelines, and was updated under a new unified disaster weather-information framework that JMA began operating on May 28 this year.
Five levels of the Emergency Warning System
So, the Emergency Warning System is not a general weather alert, but something anyone residing in Japan needs to know and protect themselves against any possible disasters. This is going to matter even more in the near future, as the effects of the climate crisis become more devastating in Japan.
Here are the five levels:
| Levels | Details |
|---|---|
| Level 1 | Low risk, but check the latest weather information. Mental preparedness for disaster. |
| Level 2 | Risk increases and advisories are issued. Check hazard maps for shelters and routes, and confirm evacuation actions. |
| Level 3 | Warnings issued. Municipalities issue notice of evacuation for elderly/vulnerable people (anyone needing more time to evacuate) |
| Level 4 | Municipalities issue evacuation instructions as disaster becomes likely. Everyone in a dangerous area must evacuate immediately. The guidance stresses evacuation must be completed by Level 4, since safe evacuation becomes difficult once Level 5 is reached. |
| Level 5 | At this point, a disaster has already occurred or is imminent. Municipalities declareEmergency Safety Measures. Everyone to immediately secure safety to protect life. |
Regardless the levels, disaster preparedness is something that all should prepare for, since this is a form of risk management to ensure you and your loved ones’ safety.
[Reference] Japan’s Meteorological Agency[Reference] Chiba Prefecture Disaster Preparedness (Japanese)
