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No Emergency
Announcements; Classes in Session
This page is for communication purposes only. In the event that school
is closed early, cancelled, or students are sent home for any reason,
this webpage will be used to make announcements to the NIS
community.
In the event, however, of a natural disaster like a powerful
earthquake, most likely the power will be cut-off and the phone lines
inoperable. Please make sure that you and your family read the
Emergency Policy Manual for the school and are familiar with the
procedures that are in place for a wide variety of emergency
situations. Please follow the procedures laid out in that
manual.
Regarding the Japanese "Keiho" ("Warning"): Although there are a few
varieties of "Keiho" ("Warnings") depending on the weather, and in some
cases (depending on where people live) the "flood" ("Kozui") and "heavy
rain" ("Ou-ame") warnings can be serious, the school is most concerned
about the "Bofuu-Keiho" ("Storm Warning"), which implies a very strong
storm with wind as well. School will be cancelled if a "Bofuu-Keiho" is
announced by the prefectural authorities (usually via TV or
radio)
WEATHER INFORMATION LINKS:
- Japan
Meteorological Agency (English Page) is a good site for
up-to-date information on weather in Japan in English.
(http://www.jma.go.jp/jma/indexe.html). Information on Warnings and Advisories can be
found at: http://www.jma.go.jp/en/warn/. If you click on the map
section you will jump to information on the warning(s) that have been
posted in Japan (NIS is located in "Tokai or "Aichi" -> "Seibu"
-> "Owari Tobu"). Nagoya city and the northern suburbs of Aichi
(Seto, Kasugai, Komaki, etc.) are all located in a region titled "Owari
Tobu".
- The World
Meteorological Organization offers a good site on current
severe weather conditions around the world:
http://severe.worldweather.org/
TYPHOON INFORMATION : Courtesy of
the Nagoya International Center
Typhoons, like their Atlantic Ocean hurricane cousins, are massive
clusters of cumulonimbus clouds with cyclonic rotation that cause
strong winds and large amounts of rain. They are formed from tropical
depressions that originate in the tropics and gradually weaken as they
move north. Technically speaking, typhoons are tropical cyclones with
winds greater than 73 mph (118kmph) and typhoons with wind speeds of at
least 150 mph (241 kmph), equivalent to a strong Category 4 hurricane,
are dubbed Super Typhoons. On average 27 North-Western Pacific typhoons
are recorded every year and on average 3 out of these 27 make land-fall
in Japan.
August has the highest occurrence of typhoons, but from mid-September,
high-altitude west winds over the region become stronger causing
typhoons to move in an arc from southern seas towards Japan. This in
turn can activate weather fronts resulting in large amounts of
prolonged rainfall before the typhoon passes by, raising water levels
in rivers and saturating the ground. The typhoon’s heavy rain becomes
the final blow, causing major disasters such as river flooding and
landslides.
Typhoon Saomai and 2004’s Typhoon Tokage may be still fresh in the
memory of many, but older residents will tell you that the September
1959 Ise Bay Typhoon – known internationally as Super Typhoon Vera, was
the strongest typhoon to hit Japan in recorded history and had a much
deeper impact on the area. Making landfall just south of Nagoya, the
typhoon caused over 5000 deaths, injured over 32,000 and left over 1.5
million homeless. The combination of the death toll and the great
number of people left homeless contributed to large outbreaks of
dysentery, gangrene, and tetanus.
How to Prepare for a Typhoon
• In case of electrical blackout, prepare a flashlight, radio, &
fresh batteries.
• Pay attention to weather information on radio or television.
• Reinforce windows and be sure to close any sliding shutters if you
have them.
• Bring objects at risk of being blown away (such as potted plants or
laundry poles) indoors, or fasten them securely.
• Do not go outdoors unnecessarily.
• In areas at risk of flooding, move household goods to a higher
location.
• Prepare food, drinking water & medical supplies.
• Prepare valuables for quick evacuation.
• In at-risk areas, prepare for quick evacuation at all times.
• Confirm the locations of Emergency Evacuation Areas beforehand at
your local ward office.
Evacuation Orders - Nagoya residents will be notified
about flood evacuation orders by TV, radio, and loudspeaker vans in the
event that evacuation becomes necessary. An Evacuation Order
Preparation Announcement is made when heavy rain or sudden increases in
river levels may result in a situation requiring evacuation allowing
residents ample time to prepare for an evacuation. An Evacuation order
will be issued if rivers start to flood or are in danger of breaking
their banks, if there is a danger of flooding caused by Drainage Pump
Control, or if there is a danger of sediment disasters including
landslides occurring.
Emergency Evacuation Areas ("Hinanjo") – If during a
flood or earthquake your residence becomes un-livable or you feel you
are in danger, then temporary accommodation and assistance can be
obtained at your nearest emergency evacuation center. Each ward in
Nagoya will have numerous centers available. Emergency Evacuation
Center location maps for each ward are available in English from ward
offices or from the Nagoya International Center 3F Information Counter.
Alternatively, they can be downloaded at
http://www.city.nagoya.jp/global/en/livinginnagoya/emergency/map/.
Flood Hazard Maps (Flood in Japanese is "Kouzui") – Do you
live in a flood danger zone? 12 of Nagoya’s 16 wards have one of
Nagoya’s three major rivers, the Shirakawa, Shonai, or Tempaku passing
through them and have issued flood hazard maps highlighting the
potential flooding risk each neighborhood is in. The four other
wards-Naka, Showa, Chikusa and Meito, are regarded as low risk areas.
Maps for each ward are visible on-line at http://www.city.nagoya.jp
key search word: "Kouzui" (in Japanese only)
Disaster Victim Certificate ("Risai Shomei-sho") - If
you become a flood or earthquake casualty, a risai shomei-sho is needed
when applying for tax deductions or a tax reprieve. Application forms
can be obtained at city, ward, town or village offices.
Nagoya International Center Disaster Language Volunteers
– When a natural disaster occurs, NIC Disaster Language
Volunteers interpret information for foreign residents who do not have
an adequate understanding of Japanese. If you are interested in
becoming a volunteer, contact the Exchange and Cooperation Projects
Division on the Nagoya International Center 4F. Tel: 052-581-5689 or
email vol@nic-nagoya.or.jp
Special thanks to the Nagoya International Center for allowing
the reprint of this article on the NIS webpage!
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