(Appendix)

Collection of Critical
Situations during Flood
Emergency Response(Appendix: Local Government
Response under COVID‐19)

June 2020
International Center for Water Hazard and Risk Management(ICHARM) under the auspices of UNESCO,
Public Works Research Institute (PWRI), Japan

Theme

Chapter1
InitialResponse2
Headquarters
Management

3
Structure in
Government
Office4
Collecting
Info

5
Collaboratingwith
Stakeholder
Bodies6
Issuing
Evacuation
Advisory, etc.

7
DisseminatingInfo

8
Shelters

Page

1.1 Massive apprehension about having to respond to a disaster for
first time in the COVID-19 pandemic

4

2.1 Disaster control headquarters is crowded

7

2.2 Increased contact with non-locals, such as liaison officers fromexternal government bodies
2.3 Lack of personnel at disaster control headquarters who areknowledgeable about healthcare/welfare and infection prevention

8

3.1 Phone inquiry response limited due to vertically segmented
administrative system in local government office11

4.1 Personnel and phone lines monopolized by surge of inquiry
calls

13

5.1 Increased risk of infection during rescue work due to a lack ofcollaboration with stakeholder bodies

15

6.1 Responding to early evacuations to minimize evacuation
confusion
6.2 Residents worried about COVID-19 are hesitating to evacuate

17

6.3 Delays in evacuation due to traffic jams caused by increasing
numbers of evacuees using cars
7.1 Confusion in government emergency radio broadcast due toa lack of advance preparation
7.2 Confusion set in when trying to send emergency update email
due to lack of advance preparation
7.3 Confusion in passing on information to resident foreigners
8.1
8.2

Crowded shelters
Responding to home-isolating mild COVID-19 patients who haveevacuated to shelters
8.3 Lack of medical supplies and infection prevention goods at shelters
8.4 Growing worries about infection risks due to crowding of evacuees
8.5 Due to restlessness and stress during evacuation, evacuees start todiscriminate against and ostracize each other8.6 Shortage of manpower at shelters due to priority being given to infection
prevention
8.7 Fear of heatstroke during extremely hot periods if infection prevention isprioritized
8.8 Coping with infection risks when needing to cook and serve food
8.9 Dealing with volunteers who may have come from other areas
8.10 Difficulty in providing handwashing water at shelter due to watersupply cutoff caused by flooding
8.11 Difficulty in grasping who are high-risk contacts
8.12 Death of evacuee suspected of COVID-19 infection
8.13 Mingling of evacuees and residents at welfare facility shelter
8.14 Confusion in operating welfare facility shelters
8.15 Responding to aggregation and closing of shelters

1

9

18
19

21
22
23
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39

The Purpose of This Appendix Booklet● In the booklet on Collection of Critical Situations during Flood Emergency Response main edition, we newly define
examples of situations that descend into “difficulties, panic, confusion, indecision and worries” faced by disastermanagers as critical situations in disaster response, extracting and introducing typical examples from the verificationmaterials (verification reports, etc.) on past flood response actions published by local governments in Japan.
● Now, in addition to responding to flooding as we have up to now, we are in a situation where the risk of infection fromCOVID-19 is a reality as well, so when evacuating local citizens and receiving them into shelters, we must respond inways that take into account the risk of infection from COVID-19. In particular, with many people evacuating into thesame facility (shelter), the 3Cs (crowded places, closed spaces and close-contact settings) emerge as issues that
seriously need to be avoided, especially for those at high risk of infection, such as the elderly and people with
underlying health conditions.
● Accordingly, as a appendix to the Collection of Critical Situations during Flood Emergency Response main edition,
this booklet introduces examples that show the heightened risks of COVID-19 to disaster prevention managers andevacuees who are involved with personnel members challenged by the descent into “difficulties, panic, confusion,indecision and worries” at times of flooding while the current risk of infection from COVID-19 exists. Note, the targeted
damage phase goes up to establishment of shelters, but does not deal with livelihood reconstruction support or
recovery. The term “shelter” in this booklet is a general term for evacuation destinations designated by local
governments, referring to designated emergency evacuation sites and designated shelters.
● For every page listing a case (an example) in the Collection of Critical Situations during Flood Emergency Response
main edition, the corresponding lessons learned are introduced from three perspectives: “facilities”, “procedures”(setups to aim for) and “human skills”. Whereas, in this appendix compiled of flood responses under the risk of
COVID-19 infections, we provide the necessary measures that need to be taken from four perspectives: “facilities”,“procedure”, “public relations” and “during emergency response”. Presently, we are in a now or never situation, where
the risks of flooding are close at hand and we lack the luxury of time. Hence, as fomenting the “human skills” raised in
the Flood Emergency Response main edition requires time, reaching that goal will be difficult as the flood season
looms. Nevertheless, continuing to push the “public relations” perspective will help to foment “human skills”. Indeed,as the Flood Emergency Response main edition carries the expectation that local governments will fully prepare inadvance for any disaster that may occur, it does not carry any sections on what to do “during disaster response”, but
the appendix does because the situation is urgent and time is pressing, so local governments need to make the bestminimum response “during disaster response”, even if advance preparations have not been made, which is why the
appendix carries the “during response to disaster” perspective.
● For each of the cases (examples), we raise measures that conceivably should be beneficial if implemented as either
advance measures or as measures during response to disaster. However, in combatting disasters amidst the risk of
COVID-19 infection, all local governments find themselves in unprecedented response situations – so, they may not
be able to implement all of the measures listed here, and, even if they do, there is no guarantee that the measures
will offer flawless solutions. Yet, we hope this appendix will offer hints to local governments striving to consider thenecessary measures to take amid their individual regional situations and in tandem with the extent of the spread of
COVID-19.

Definitions of Critical Situations during Disaster Response in this Booklet
Accident
occursWork is started

Industrial
hazard/accident

Work cannot be
continued

Occurrence of event(has not progressed to accident)
Work is continued
Work is started

Critical situations infield of industrial
hazards/accidents

Critical situation
Occurrence of
Occurrence
disasterofCommence(hazard)Response continued
response to disaster difficulties in midst of difficulties

Critical situations in
disaster response(as defined by this booklet)

Critical situation occurs in response to disaster2

How to Make Use of This Booklet●We propose that this booklet should be used in two ways by local governments in preparations
to smoothly combat disasters.

1. Using it as training material for individual personnel(1) Read each page, imagining whether the same kind of critical situations could occur in your own
local government.
(2) If a similar case looks likely to happen, read the list of measures in the bottom half of the page, andthink about how to tackle the issues in advance as well as what would be effective precautions totake in the middle of disaster response.

2. Using it as training material for group work and disaster imagination games(1) Bring members of the department or disaster response unit together, and, depending on
circumstances and hour of the day of gathered members, pick one or more of the cases from thisbooklet. Then use the worksheet provided at the end of the booklet to create an image of a disastersituation.
(2) First, without looking at the page with the compilation depicting the disaster case, everyone should
fill out their own answers to the five questions shown below.
(3) Once everyone has written their answers, members should explain their own ideas on the matter,working through the questions in a debate format.
(4) Next, look at the response list in the second half of the page, and discuss the excesses anddeficiencies of the debate in item (3).
For any local government responding to a disaster amidst the current risk of infection from COVID19, the situation is unprecedented, and the extent of the spread of infection will dictate the kind of
measures taken in advance or during response to disaster. Among the list of measures, members
need to discuss issues from a perspective that questions what are the measures that need to betaken for their own individual local governments and their own local realities.
(5) Lastly, draw together measures that are conceivably needed from here on in areas such as“facilities”, “procedure”, “public relations” and “during disaster response”.

Five questions for critical situations in responding to flood disaster(1) Could a similar situation occur in your local authority/department?
(2) Are necessary measures (facilities) in place to avoid the situation
occurring?
(3) Are necessary measures (structures, manuals and plans, etc.) in place to
avoid the situation occurring?
(4) Are necessary measures (Public Relations) in place to avoid the situation
occurring?
(5) Are necessary measures (during response to disaster) in place to avoid thesituation occurring?

3

Initial
Response

Critical Situations during Flood Emergency Response

1 Initial Response

No-one has responded to a disaster in the midst of
the COVID-19 pandemic! What do we have to do!
~ Massive apprehension about having to respond to a disaster for first time in the
COVID-19 pandemic ~Target● Members of disaster control headquarters

Critical Situation
Criticalsituation
point

For all personnel members responding to a disaster amidst the risk ofinfection from COVID-19, it must be a first-time experience. And, as noone has been in such a situation, it must be impossible to judge whatkind of response is appropriate.
Result Response becomes fraught with worries because it is a first-time
experience, and each response and decision takes time, whichleads to confusion.

Measures
PublicRelations-

For all personnel members responding to a disaster amidst the risk of infection from COVID-19, the situation is a firsttime experience. Hence, it is necessary to consider what ought to be done differently in responding to a disasteramidst the risks of the COVID-19 pandemic, and then to get each personnel member to understand those differences.

Structure-

Review personnel assembly criteria and assembly contacting method

To permanently station healthcare and welfare department personnel who are knowledgeable about infection
prevention from initial disaster response, the personnel assembly criteria and rules as well as the emergency
contacting method for assembly and its email system, etc., must be reviewed.

Structure-

From the initial disaster response stage, seek participation in headquarters ofhealthcare and welfare department personnel who are knowledgeable about
infection prevention

As decision making that pays attention to prevention of COVID-19 infections from the initial response to a disaster isnecessary, a system must be prepared to enable permanent stationing from initial disaster response of healthcare andwelfare department personnel who are knowledgeable about infection prevention.

Structure-

Produce a manual for responding to disasters amidst COVID-19 pandemic

It is necessary to produce a manual for responding to disasters amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, gathering the points
that ought to be given attention, so that each personnel member can make decisions and respond without taking too
much time or becoming confused in confronting situations beyond expectations.

Structure-

Enhance personnel understanding about disaster response amidst risk fromCOVID-19

Implement training and workshops on establishing a disaster control
headquarters in advance

Undertake training and workshops on establishing a disaster control headquarters in advance,
so that disasters can be responded to as appropriate infection prevention is implemented
without personnel becoming flustered when confronted by the risks of the COVID-19 pandemic
during disaster response. In this way, it is vital to raise the knowledge of personnel to enable
them to respond as needed even when the situation is not a textbook one.

5

Headquarters
Management

Critical Situations during Flood Emergency Response

2 Headquarters Management

There’re too many people in disaster control
headquarters – remember the 3Cs (Closed space,
Crowded places and Close-contact settings).
~ Disaster control headquarters is crowded ~Target● Members of disaster control headquarters

CriticalSituation
Criticalsituation
point

The disaster control headquarters was launched, but too many people
gathered, making the situation a 3Cs one (Crowded places, Closed
spaces and Close-contact settings). Swift disaster response is necessary,
but there is a worry about infection from COVID-19.
Result The infection risk of members of the disaster control
headquarters increases.

Measures
Facilities-

Use a spacious, well-ventilated room as the site to install the disaster control headquarters.

Facilities-

Regularly ventilate

Regularly ventilate the disaster control headquarters room when it is in use.

During Disaster
Response-

Ensure that the disaster control headquarters room has an online environment

Equip the disaster control headquarters room with an internet environment (LAN, Wi-Fi, etc.) that connects
headquarters with offices inside local government and the outside world, to reduce the number of local government
personnel and external personnel who have to enter the disaster control headquarters. When doing this, also
envisage the response needed if there is a power outage due to the disaster.

During Disaster
Response-

Arrange infection prevention goods in the disaster control headquarters room

Arrange infection prevention goods in advance, including hand sanitizer and masks.

Facilities-

Arrange tables and chairs in a way that avoids the 3Cs

To avoid the 3Cs, consider a room layout that pays attention to the infection, including spacing apart tables and chairs.

Facilities-

Ensure that the disaster control headquarters room is spacious and well ventilated

Limit the number of unnecessary entries

As much as possible, reduce the number of people who can access the disaster control
headquarters room, to reduce the risk of infection to members of the disaster control
headquarters.

7

Critical Situations during Flood Emergency Response

2 Headquarters Management

Some people from external stakeholder bodies have come tothe disaster control headquarters, and I’m worried about therisk of infection!
~ Increased contact with non-locals, such as liaison officers from external
government bodies ~Target● Members of disaster control headquarters

CriticalSituation
Criticalsituation
point

In usual responses to disaster, it is possible for numerous people from external
locales to want to make a visit to the disaster control headquarters, such as
liaison officers, fire officials and SDF officials from local branches of agencies
under MLIT or connected to prefectures.
Result The infection risk of members of the disaster control
headquarters increases.

Measures
Facilities-

In usual responses to disaster, there are cases where spaces are established in the room of the disaster control
headquarters for personnel, such as liaison officers from local branches of agencies under MLIT or connected toprefectures, fire officials and SDF officials. However, accepting in such people from external bodies increases thenumber of people in the headquarters room and the exposure to non-locals – so, amidst this COVID-19 pandemic,
consideration needs to be given to ensuring a space for external personnel adjacent to or nearby the disaster control
headquarters room.

Procedure-

Conduct information exchanging training between disaster control headquarters
and external stakeholder bodes

If dedicated phones are newly installed to link up with organizations outside of the headquarters and the local
government in order to minimize direct contact with personnel from external stakeholder bodies, then training withthose phones should be conducted in advance.

Facilities-

Increase the number of dedicated phones, etc., to connect the disaster control
headquarters with external stakeholder bodies

To minimize direct contact with personnel from external stakeholder bodies, increase the number of phones withdedicated lines to those bodies to enable contact, and create a phone number list to manage calls.

Procedure-

Coordinate in advance with external stakeholder bodies to reduce person-toperson contact during disasters

Ensure remote access to computers, etc., to reduce as much as possible the amount of contact with personnel fromexternal bodies, and then consult in advance with the stakeholder bodies to see if it is possible for them to stay awayfrom the headquarters room.

Facilities-

Ensure a space for external personnel to be accepted into adjacent to or nearby
the disaster control headquarters room

Equip headquarters with infection prevention goods

Equip in advance the disaster control headquarters with infection prevention goods, such as
sanitizer, for the use of people arriving from external stakeholder bodies.

8

Critical Situations during Flood Emergency Response

2 Headquarters Management

Personnel who are knowledgeable about
healthcare/welfare and infection prevention have notturned up at the disaster control headquarters!
~ Lack of personnel at disaster control headquarters who are knowledgeable
about healthcare/welfare and infection prevention ~Target● Members of disaster control headquarters

CriticalSituation

Criticalsituation
point

From the initial response to a disaster, there needs to be consideration of anddecision making about how to prevent COVID-19 infections – however, thepersonnel with knowledge about healthcare/welfare and infection prevention
have not assembled in the disaster control headquarters, so cover for infection
prevention is short.
Result Decision making that takes into account infection
prevention will be hindered.

Measures
Procedure-

From the initial disaster response, predictably, there will be a need for decision making concerning the prevention of
COVID-19 infections. Thus, envisage in advance who you will need to participate as personnel from the healthcare
and welfare department as well as infection-prevention-savvy personnel, and then consider the roles they will need totake in the disaster control headquarters.

Procedure-

Review personnel assembly criteria and contact method for assembling

To ensure permanent stationing of healthcare and welfare department personnel and infection-prevention-savvy
personnel at the disaster control headquarters, review the personnel assembly criteria and rules as well as the
emergency contact network and emailing system used to contact personnel for assembly purposes.

Procedure-Consider implementing division of duties for healthcare/welfare-savvy personnel
who are needed for decision making at the disaster control headquarters

Prepare a contact list of stakeholder bodies connected to COVID-19 infections

In dealing with COVID-19 infections, it is highly likely that you will need to make contact with or collaborate with not
only your own healthcare and welfare department and public health center in your local government but also multiple
internal/external stakeholder bodies in prefectures and those that serve as portals to national government. Therefore,
to respond to a disaster swiftly, prepare in advance a contact list for those bodies, and make sure that the list is kept in
the disaster control headquarters.

Procedure

Organize a map, etc., in the disaster control headquarters showing locations of
medical institutions-

Equip in advance the disaster control headquarters with the necessary medical institution details,
such as a institute list and location map, in order to deal with people infected with COVID-19.

-

As transportation of infected persons maybe needed not just in your municipality but across a wider
area, prepare materials that will give an insight into the situations in medical facilities in nearby
municipalities. For this, be aware of the positional relationships of medical institutes and the roads to
be used to transport patients with the areas that are at risk of flooding and/or landslide damage.

9

Structure in
Government
OfficeCritical Situations during Flood Emergency Response

3 Procedure in Government Office

All sorts of questions are being phoned in on everythingfrom disaster damage to medical treatment, but ouranswers are never enough!
~ Phone inquiry response limited due to vertically segmented administrative
system in local government office ~Target● Members of disaster control headquarters, disaster prevention managers,
telephone operators

CriticalSituation

Criticalsituation
point

Amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, it is highly likely that there will not only bephone inquiries about flooding and landslides at times of disaster but also a
broad range of questions about what to do to prevent infection. And, as
many of the inquiries will require a high level of healthcare/welfare
knowledge, it is quite possible phone lines will become jammed by the
response to such phone calls.
Result Phone calls that are usually dealt with, such as communication withdisaster prevention department and stakeholder bodies and thegathering of information on dangerous areas, will not be possible.

Measures
Procedure

Build up a phone system that covers the entire local government-

From past flooding, there are reports that state how smooth disaster response was hampered due to disaster control
headquarters becoming overwhelmed by phone inquiries. Hence, first, the mindset must be changed to make surethat the entire local government handles external phone inquiries, not the disaster prevention section.

-

When the disaster control headquarters is established, deputize personnel members from other departments to deal
with phone inquiries on behalf of the disaster prevention section, which, as the general affairs unit, must dedicate
itself to the task of secretariat/staffing for the disaster control headquarters.

Procedure-

At times of disaster, it is likely that along with the phone inquiries about flooding and landslides there will be manycalls about how to prevent COVID-19 infections, so preparations must be made, such as deploying infectionprevention-savvy personnel in the team dealing with phone inquiries, making sure that infection-related calls aresmoothly transferred to that personnel.

Procedure-

Handle phone calls in collaboration with departments related to healthcare andwelfareCreate a list of predictable answers and prepare necessary detailed
information to deal with phone inquiries

Responding to a disaster amidst the COVID-19 pandemic will be a first for all personnel, andthey will come up against questions they have never had before. Thus, to deal with callssmoothly and concisely as possible, take steps, such as creating in advance a list of predictableanswers, and keep detailed information, such as a list of shelters other than the designated ones
noted in emergency orders, on hand to provide any backup information that may be needed toaugment answers.

11Collecting
InfoCritical Situations during Flood Emergency Response

4 Collecting Info

We’re being overwhelmed by phone calls from the public asking
things like whether it’s safe to evacuate upstairs (verticalevacuation), and we can’t get on with our disaster response work!
~ Personnel and phone lines monopolized by surge of inquiry calls ~Target● Members of disaster control headquarters, disaster prevention managers

CriticalSituation
Criticalsituation
point

Citizens who recognize the dangers of flooding and landslides but are
worried about becoming infected by COVID-19 at designated emergency
evacuation sites and shelters are jamming phone lines with inquiries about
whether they can evacuate upstairs (vertical evacuation) in their own homes,
etc., or whether there are alternative shelters to the designated ones.
Result Personnel cannot get on with the work they ought to do, including
communicating by phone with disaster prevention departments andstakeholder bodies as well as gathering information about dangerous areas.

Measures
PublicRelations

Make the public aware of vertical evacuation and evacuation to shelters otherthan the designated emergency evacuation sites/shelters, etc.

-

Using inundation/flooding probability material as reference, extract out areas where flooding depth and time is minimal,and encourage people living in those areas to evacuate upstairs (vertically evacuate) and that they must decide their own
individual evacuation method in advance; furthermore, in readiness to vertically evacuate, people need to be madeaware that they ought to stock their vertical evacuation site with food and equipment to counter power outages. Various
methods can be used to make the public aware of vertical evacuation and the stockpile needed, such as public relations
magazines and disaster prevention emails.

-

Also, make the public aware in advance that evacuation is about avoiding calamity, so if they are in a safe place, there isno need to move to a designated emergency evacuation site/shelter. Here, regarding probable evacuation destinations,inundation/flooding probability maps should be used to confirm areas free of flooding risk, and guidance offered on
evacuation destinations on those assumptions.

Procedure

Communicate detailed information using websites and bulletin boards, etc.

-

In cases where local citizens are jamming call lines with inquiries about areas recommended for vertical evacuation or
the whereabouts of shelters other than designated emergency evacuation sites and shelters, it is impossible torespond to each inquiry by asking for addresses in order to provide the information. Therefore, to deal with those kindsof inquiries, you must upload in advance the necessary detailed information to your websites, and tell callers that they
can check the information on the websites themselves.

-Also, as an effective way of helping local citizens who are not able to access websites, local neighborhood
associations should be provided with maps showing recommended vertical evacuation areas and lists showing shelter
destinations other than the designated ones, so that the neighborhood associations can pin them up in community
centers and notice boards in hamlets.

During Disaster
Response-

Collaborate with presidents of neighborhood associations,disaster prevention leaders and volunteer fire fighting corps andflood fighting corps

Even if the public are made aware of evacuation information in advance, there will always besome who did not get the information. Therefore, it is necessary to systemize cooperation to
enable collaboration with presidents of neighborhood associations, local disaster prevention
leaders and volunteer fire fighting corps and flood fighting corps, so that they too can inform local
citizens in times of disaster.

13

Collaboratingwith Stakeholder
BodiesCritical Situations during Flood Emergency Response

5 Collaborating with Stakeholder Bodies

The hospital needs to evacuate. Have the rescue
team been clearly told that there are COVID-19
patients in the hospital?
~ Increased risk of infection during rescue work due to a lack of collaboration
with stakeholder bodies ~Target● Members of disaster control headquarters, rescue teams

CriticalSituation

Criticalsituation
point

Depending on the area, there are medical facilities receiving COVID-19
patients, so, in an emergency, if the risk of flooding increases, patients,
including infected ones, may need rescuing. Hence, if the rescuers are notinformed about COVID-19 patients and, therefore, do not take sufficient
infection prevention precautions, they too could be at risk.

Result This risk of infection increases for rescuers, and, if infected,
they may become infectors themselves, spreading the virus
even further.

Measures
Procedure

Grasp the risks of flooding and mudslide damage at medical facilities accepting
COVID-19 patients, and consider your response-

Check in advance whether medical facilities accepting COVID-19 patients are at risk of flooding and/or vulnerable tomudslides. If they are, regular consideration must be given to taking care of COVID-19 patients on a floor with theleast need for evacuation to external sites – for example, third floor or higher and floors/sides of buildings furthest
away from hillsides, etc.

-

Also, consideration must be given in advance through cooperation with stakeholder bodies (rescue teams, etc.) to givefull consideration to infection prevention for situations where hospitalized COVID-19 patients need to be evacuated toexternal sites, such as: where should they be evacuated to?

Procedure-

Collaborate with healthcare/welfare departments and organizations anddepartments involved in disaster rescue

If there are medical facilities at great risk of flooding and/or damage from mudslides, regularly collaborate withhealthcare/welfare departments as well as fire departments/organizations that will do the actual rescuing in times ofdisaster to mutually deepen understanding of the circumstances surrounding hospitalized COVID-19 patients and theinfection prevention measures that need to be taken at time of rescue.

During Disaster
Response

Make absolutely sure that rescue teams are suitably informed about
and protected from infection-

If patients need to be evacuated from a medical facility accepting COVID-19 patients, makeabsolutely sure that rescue team members are properly informed about everything, including thedetails about infected patients, and that they take infection prevention measures.

-

In cases where both conventional patients and COVID-19 patients are to be rescued, they will need
to be separated for rescue purposes. If, by chance, in the rescue process, non-infected patientsand rescue team members come into contact with infected patients, thus becoming infectors
themselves, they must be quarantined.

15

Issuing
Evacuation
Advisory, etc.

Critical Situations during Flood Emergency Response

6 Issuing Evacuation Advisory, etc.

Residents are saying that they want to evacuate early,
avoiding the risk of infection from COVID-19!
~ Responding to early evacuations to minimize evacuation confusion ~Target● Managers of designated emergency evacuation sites/shelters and evacuees

CriticalSituation
Criticalsituation
point

Residents are asking for shelters to be opened to accommodate early
evacuation before large crowds of people start to evacuate and, thus,
avoid the risk of COVID-19 infection during the melee of evacuation.

Result Responding to this request would run contrary to the priorly
prepared evacuation manual, leading to confusion at shelters.

Measures

Procedure-

Taking into consideration the predictable numbers of people who will evacuate to designated emergency evacuationsites/shelters, the proportion of elderly in areas scheduled for evacuation, floor space sizes and width of access roads,
etc., seek out the designated emergency evacuation sites/shelters that look to be at greater risk of spreading
infections - in particular, seek out evacuation routes/receptions/shelters that will become crowded.

Procedure-Consider the procedures for opening shelters for early evacuation, etc.

Envisage making an earlier than usual official announcement of evacuation information, to assist in the process ofconsidering and checking the procedures to open shelters earlier than usual. If facility (shelter) managers and nearby
residents give their approval for opening shelters, make sure the personnel overseeing those shelters/residents are
made aware of that approval.

PublicRelations-

Consider officially announcing early evacuation to enable dispersed evacuation

Consider officially announcing an earlier than usual evacuation to enable evacuees to evacuate in a dispersed mannerto alleviate the confusion (melee) during evacuation. To do this, you will need to review the standards for officiallyannouncing evacuation information. In particular, on such occasions, bear in mind that the early official announcementof evacuation information needs to be for areas that you have sought out (earmarked) as being better served by anearly evacuation.

Procedure-

Seek out areas where early evacuation would be desirable

Make the relevant residents aware of early evacuation

As the local authority, your job is not to just officially announce earlier than usual theevacuation information, you must also make residents aware of the importance of dispersed
evacuation from the perspective of alleviating the confusion (melee) during evacuation to avoid
COVID-19 infection risks.

17

Critical Situations during Flood Emergency Response

6 Issuing Evacuation Advisory, etc.

Residents are hesitating to start evacuating because
their worried about COVID-19!
~ Residents worried about COVID-19 are hesitating to evacuate ~Target● Managers of designated emergency evacuation sites/shelters and evacuees

CriticalSituation
Criticalsituation
point

With official announcements of alert level 4 evacuation advisories, residents arehesitating to start evacuation because of worries about 3Cs (closed spaces, crowded
places and close-contact settings) at designated emergency evacuation sites/shelters.
Result There is possibility that human damage is increasing due toflooding and mudslides because residents are not evacuating.

Measures
Procedure-

Evacuation is about avoiding calamity. Thus, consideration must be given to finding alternative evacuation
destinations, such as public facilities and hotels, because once conventional designated emergency evacuationsites/shelters have been converted to create two-meter spaces between evacuees to prevent virus spread, evacuation
capacity will be insufficient.

Procedure-Call on evacuees to bring their own infection
prevention shelter goods

Make residents of areas where evacuation might be necessary aware that theyshould bring their own infection prevention goods when evacuating.

During Disaster
Response-

Consider space division at designated emergency evacuation sites/shelters

Consider accommodating suspected infection cases, the elderly, the pregnant and people with underlying conditions
in separate medical facilities, etc. Also, consider with managers of facilities (shelters) the feasibility of using spaces
separated from the big main shelter area, including changing rooms and classrooms that exist in the shelter facility. If
utilization is possible, consider specific usage methods.

PublicRelations-

Make the public aware of vertical evacuation and evacuation to shelters otherthan the designated emergency evacuation sites/shelters, etc.

Make the public aware prior to the flood season that they should envisage an evacuation destination other than aconventional designated emergency evacuation site/shelter, such as a friend’s or relative’s home. As part of thatawareness, instruct the public that they need to envisage an evacuation destination that is not at risk of above-floor
flooding (check inundation/flooding probability map, etc.). Also, in advance, make the public aware of areas wherevertical evacuation is encouraged.

Procedure-Consider areas where vertical evacuation can be encouraged

Use inundation/flooding probability material as reference to extract out areas where flooding depth and time is minimal,
and consider which could become areas where vertical evacuation can be encouraged.

PublicRelations-

Consider evacuation destinations other than conventional designated emergency
evacuation sites/shelters

Provide guidance on evacuation using space division atdesignated emergency evacuation sites/shelters

If space division is implemented at designated shelters, as soon as evacuees arrive at the shelter entrance, calmly
and securely ensure that each person/family unit is allotted a space, enabling space-divided evacuation. Also, before
entry to the shelter, carry out temperature and health checks.

18

Critical Situations during Flood Emergency Response

6 Issuing Evacuation Advisory, etc.

We’re overwhelmed by evacuees in cars, andthey’re jamming the roads!
~ Delays in evacuation due to traffic jams caused by increasing numbers ofevacuees using cars ~Target● Managers of designated emergency evacuation sites/shelters and evacuees

CriticalSituation
Criticalsituation
point

Moving around – even in cars – outdoors in heavy rain is dangerous. However, toavoid the risk of COVID-19 infection, evacuee cars (being used as shelters) areoverwhelming roads near to shelters and other open spaces, causing confusion at
those sites and traffic jams on their access roads, hindering the evacuation of otherresidents and emergency activities.
Result Traffic jams cause evacuation delays and confusion.

Measures
Procedure-

In an attempt to avoid COVID-19, predictably evacuees in cars will overwhelm areas around shelters or other open
spaces. Therefore, in advance, envisaging flooding risks, secure open spaces for car evacuation, such as sports
grounds of schools safe from flooding.

PublicRelations-

Consider setting “no parking” zones around designated emergency evacuationsites/shelters

In cases where hinderance will predictably occur due to numerous in-car evacuees gathering at designatedemergency evacuation sites/shelters, consider clearly setting up no-parking zones in such shelter areas and methods
to stop people parking.

PublicRelations-

Make the public aware that some places can be used for car evacuation butthat there are places that should not be used

In making the public aware of evacuation destinations other than conventional designated emergency evacuationsites/shelters, if there are any, also inform them about any big open space that might be able to accommodate in-car
evacuation without problems. Also, if there any locations where the gathering of numerous in-car evacuees would
hinder the emergency response or cause confusion, be sure to tell the public not to gather at those locations.

Procedure-

Envisage locations where numerous evacuees in cars could gather

Call on evacuees to bring their own infection prevention shelter goods

As there are cases where in-car evacuees go to designated emergency evacuation sites/shelters to collect food andwater, call on them in advance to carry their own infection prevention goods.

During Disaster
Response

Provide guidance to in-car evacuees-

At the stage when in-car evacuees start to gather, tell them not to park in such a way that will
hamper emergency activities, make clear the no-parking zones, and guide them to locations where
they can park.

-

Also, make in-car evacuees aware of actions to be taken to prevent economy class syndrome (deepvein thrombosis from remaining seated for long spells).

19

Disseminating
InfoCritical Situations during Flood Emergency Response

7 Disseminating Info

We’ve got to make a broadcast to the public on
government emergency radio, but we’re not surewhat needs to be said?
~ Confusion in government emergency radio broadcast due to a lack of advance
preparation ~Target● Disaster prevention managers

CriticalSituation
Criticalsituation
point

Government emergency radio had to be used to tell the public to evacuate,
but neither the draft broadcast speech nor the contents of the message tothe public had been prepared.
Result In the midst of a disaster, consideration had to be given to what
would be said in the government emergency radio broadcast,which delayed response.

Measures
Procedure-

When calling on the public to evacuate, you must take into consideration COVID-19 infection prevention, telling the
public to avoid the 3Cs (closed spaces, crowded places and close-contact settings) during evacuation and to carryinfection prevention goods to evacuation destinations. And, to prevent confusion during a disaster, it is a good idea todecide in advance the contents of what needs to said to the public and prepare in advance the broadcast speech to be
used.

Procedure-Prepare information, such as a list of evacuation destinations other thanconventional designated emergency evacuation sites/shelters

Prepare information to broadcast on government emergency radio to the public, so that there will be no confusion
at time of disaster, such as regularly maintaining a list of evacuation destinations other than conventional
designated emergency evacuation sites/shelters.

Facilities-

Collaborate with public health center and healthcare/welfare departments in
preparing contents to be broadcast to public

In preparing the broadcast contents calling on the public to evacuate with infection prevention in mind, be sure tocollaborate with the public health center and healthcare/welfare department in local government to consider together
in advance the contents of the broadcast.

Procedure-Prepare calls to the public in relation to evacuating to locations other thanconventional designated shelters or to evacuate upstairs at home (verticalevacuation)

In calling for the public to evacuate, you must tell them about the option of evacuation destinations other than theconventional designated emergency evacuation sites/shelters (friend’s or relative’s home, etc.) as well as about areas
where vertical evacuation is encouraged. And, to prevent confusion during a disaster, it is a good idea to decide inadvance the contents of what needs to be said to the public and prepare in advance the broadcast speech to be used.

Procedure-Prepare message details to call on public to evacuate with infection prevention inmind

Prepare written drafts for emergency update emails anddisaster prevention emails that people sign up for

Apart from government emergency radio broadcasts, emergency update emails or registereddisaster prevention emails need to be sent to mobile phones, so it is a good idea to preparein advance written drafts (templates). In particular, it is best to prepare in advance messages
for mediums with text length restrictions.

21

Critical Situations during Flood Emergency Response

7 Disseminating Info

I need to put out an emergency update email to mobile phones that
includes a message about infection prevention during evacuation, but
I can’t squeeze it in because of message length restrictions!
~ Confusion set in when trying to send emergency update email due to lack ofadvance preparation ~Target● Disaster prevention managers

CriticalSituation
Criticalsituation
point

Apart from government emergency radio broadcasts, emergency update
emails also have to be sent out to mobile phones, and those emails arepacked with information, so including a message about infection prevention
infringed on word count restrictions, making it hard to get the message over.
Result In the midst of a disaster, consideration had to be given towhat would be said in the emergency update email, which
delayed response.

Measures
Procedure-Prepare message drafts for emergency update emails and disaster prevention
emails that people sign up for

When sending emergency update emails or registered disaster prevention emails to mobile phones, it is necessary to
prepare in advance the message drafts (templates). And, in cases where the emergency update email system can beconnected to the disaster prevention communication system of the local government concerned, then check to see if atemplate setting function is available in the system and, if it is, turn that function on. Then, in particular, if there areword count (text length) restrictions for emergency update emails that are going to limit what you can write, you canrefine your composition in advance.

Procedure

Provide detailed information on evacuation destinations other than conventional
designated emergency evacuation sites/shelters-

Push-based information delivery (a system where information can be transmitted without the receiving party having to
do anything), such as emergency update texts/mails to mobile phones, is an excellent way of passing on emergency
status information to the public, but the amount of transmittable information (text length) is restricted. Whereas, a pullbased information delivery device (a device that has to be manipulated in some way by the receiving party to accessinformation) is a far richer source of information than push-based information delivery systems. Hence, at times ofdisaster, the push and pull information delivery systems must be used in combination effectively.

-

Although putting lists, including a list of evacuation destinations other than designated emergency evacuationsites/shelters, into emergency update texts/mails is not feasible, if you have detailed information you want to pass onto the public, upload it in advance to the relevant website, and then provide the website link in a push-based
information delivery, to enable the public to access the website and the information. This kind of response needs to beenvisaged. However, past disasters have shown that using this method attracts concentrated access of the website inquestion, which frequently causes connection failures, so care must be taken about server performance and theaccess count.

Procedure-

Collaborate with public health center and healthcare/welfare
departments in preparing written drafts

To accurately pass on necessary information to the public in a set number of words using amessaging system with text length restrictions for emergency update texts/mails, you must fullyrefine compositions by prioritizing information items to be listed and by writing concisely, etc.
When doing this, you must consult with healthcare/welfare departments about issues such as
the priority of information items to be transmitted.

22

Critical Situations during Flood Emergency Response

7 Disseminating Info

How do we explain COVID-19 in otherlanguages?
~ Confusion in passing on information to resident foreigners ~Target● Disaster prevention managers

CriticalSituation
Criticalsituation
point

When reaching out to the public, there also is a need to pass on information in
multiple languages for foreigners living locally under various circumstances;
however, no translation drafts have been prepared, so we do not know how toword things suitably.
Result In the midst of a disaster, consideration had to be given towhat should be put into messages for foreigners, which
delayed response.

Measures
Procedure-

The population ratio of foreigners differs by area, but there always has been and will be a need for the provision of
information at times of disaster in multiple languages (English, Chinese, Korean, Portuguese, etc.). Therefore, in thecase of COVID-19 too, multilingual terminology and writing styles need to be understood/checked in advance andused to write drafts of messages for foreigners.

Procedure-Consider obtaining the services of linguist volunteers during disasters

Obtain in advance the services of linguist volunteers for times of disaster, so foreigners can be communicated with at
shelters, etc., during disasters. Here, efforts should also be taken to create materials (perhaps using mechanicaltranslation apps) on matters that ought to be passed on to foreigners about COVID-19 infections, and those materials
should be distributed among the linguist volunteers in advance.

PublicRelations-

Collaborate with stakeholder bodies to propel transmission of
information to foreigners

Consider how to transmit information in multiple languages at times of emergency by collaborating with stakeholder
bodies, such as working with international communication associations in your prefecture to prepare information to betransmitted to foreigners. Here, consideration must be given to the wording in multiple foreign languages and written
drafts of messages must be prepared.

Procedure-

Check multilingual terminology and prepare written foreign-language drafts topass on information in multiple languages to citizens.

Produce educational material for foreigners

As time is of the essence amidst the tense situation during a disaster, it is a good idea toregularly inform foreigners in advance in multilingual materials, to facilitate simultaneous
messaging in multiple languages, and so that they will accurately understand the messages
passed onto them. Here, it is important to prepare precautions (guidelines) for foreigners, anddistribute that material to foreigners to raise awareness.

23

Shelters(designated emergency evacuation
shelters and sites, etc.)

Critical Situations during Flood Emergency Response

8 Shelters (designated emergency evacuation shelters and sites, etc.)

Too many evacuees in shelters, so we’re in the 3Cs(Closed spaces, Crowded places, Close-contact settings!
~ Crowded shelters ~Target● Managers of designated emergency evacuation sites/shelters and evacuees

CriticalSituation
Criticalsituationpoint

Too many evacuees are crowding into designated emergency evacuation sites/shelters,
which is encouraging the 3Cs (Closed spaces, Crowded places, Close-contact settings).
Among the evacuees, there are all sorts of people, including the elderly and people with
underlying conditions, so there is a worry about COVID-19 infections.

Result Risk of infections among evacuees increases.

Measures
Procedure-

Taking into consideration the predictable numbers of people who will evacuate to designated emergency evacuationsites/shelters, the proportion of elderly in areas scheduled for evacuation, floor space sizes and width of access roads,
etc., seek out the designated emergency evacuation sites/shelters that, in particular, will be vulnerable to the 3Cs andgreater risk of spreading COVID-19.

Procedure-Consider methods for redistributing evacuees if, for whatever reason, 3Cs
circumstances become excessive

If, for whatever reason, the 3Cs circumstances become excessive, consider ways of redistributing
evacuees, including sending some of them to less crowded shelters by bus, etc.

During Disaster
Response-

Call on evacuees to bring their own infection prevention shelter goods

Make residents of areas where evacuation might be necessary thoroughly aware that they should bring their own
infection prevention goods when evacuating.

Procedure-

Organize partitions for space division and consider layouts

To avoid the 3Cs, organize partitions for space division, dividing space with infection risks in mind.

PublicRelations-

Consider space division at designated emergency evacuation sites/shelters

In designated emergency evacuation sites/shelters, consider with facility (shelter) managers the feasibility ofaccommodating suspected infection cases, the elderly, the pregnant and people with underlying conditions in spaces
separated from the big main shelter area, including changing rooms and classrooms that exist in the shelter facility. If
utilization is possible, consider specific usage methods.

Facilities-

Seek out designated emergency evacuation sites/shelters that look vulnerable to
3Cs

Control flow of people at receptions of designated emergency
evacuation sites/shelters, etc.

In responding to disasters, thoroughly implement shelter reception guidance, counting evacuees as
they arrive at the entrance of designated emergency evacuation sites/shelters, and allocating themslots in the space-divided shelter to prevent space-taking confusion.

25

Critical Situations during Flood Emergency Response

8 Shelters (designated emergency evacuation shelters and sites, etc.)

A home-isolating mild COVID-19 patient has turned
up to the shelter to evacuate, what should I do?
~ Responding to home-isolating mild COVID-19 patients who have evacuated toshelters ~Target● Managers of designated emergency evacuation sites/shelters and evacuees

CriticalSituation
Criticalsituation
point

A home-isolating mild COVID-19 patient evacuated to a shelter, telling
reception the he/she is a mild COVID-19 case. To prevent infection ofother evacuees, some kind of isolation must be implemented.
Result The risk of infection will increase and confusion will take hold.

Measures
Procedure-

For people who are identified as positive and are self-isolating as mild COVID-19 cases, set specially designatedevacuation destinations and provide advance guidance about them, to prevent such mild COVID-19 cases evacuating
to conventional designated emergency evacuation sites/shelters.

During Disaster
Response-

Consider space division at designated emergency evacuation sites/shelters

if a mild COVID-19 case comes to the designated emergency evacuation site/shelter to evacuate
regardless of advance guidance, yet the disaster is threatening, and transferal to anotherevacuation destination will be predictably difficult, so you have no other option but to accept thatmild case into the shelter, you will need to consult the facility (shelter) manager to see if a space
separated from the big communal shelter space can be used, such as a changing room orclassroom, if such a separate room can be used, then you need to consider the specific usage.

Procedure-Prepare a reception sheet for listing names of evacuees

Prepare/create a reception sheet for listing evacuee names and asking them about their health, to enable you to
distinguish suspected COVID-19 symptoms at reception (arrival point) at designated emergency evacuationsites/shelters.

Procedure-

Distinguish mild cases at receptions of designated emergency
evacuation sites/shelters

In disaster response, if a mild COVID-19 case comes to the designated emergency evacuation site/shelter toevacuate regardless of advance guidance, get that person to make a self-declaration about his/her condition at theentrance reception, and then make clear your plan of action.

Procedure-

Guide mild cases to specified evacuation destinations in advance

Consider transfer methods if mild cases can be transferred toseparate evacuation destinations

if a mild COVID-19 case comes to the designated emergency evacuation site/shelter to evacuate
regardless of advance guidance, and transferal to an evacuation destination that can provide isolated
evacuation is possible, you must consider the method to be used to make that transfer.

26

Critical Situations during Flood Emergency Response

8 Shelters (designated emergency evacuation shelters and sites, etc.)

I am paying attention to infection prevention,
but I’m short on sanitizer and thermometers!
~ Lack of medical supplies and infection prevention goods at shelters ~Target● Managers of designated emergency evacuation sites/shelters and evacuees

CriticalSituation
Criticalsituationpoint

We want to get evacuees in the shelter to take action to prevent
infection by sanitizing hands and checking body temperature, but there
is a lack of such medical stocks, so we cannot implement prevention
measures. And, not being able to check body temperatures, means that
we cannot distinguish potential COVID-19 cases or mild cases.
Result Risk of infections among evacuees increases.

Measures
Facilities-

As much as you can, procure masks and goods that enable you to implement infection prevention measures even
without using water (sanitizer, sanitizer wipes and sprays, etc.) in readiness to prevent COVID-19 infections indesignated emergency evacuation sites/shelters. And, providing reception staff and other personnel who come into
contact with many people with face shields is an effective way of preventing droplet infection.

Facilities-

Call on citizens to share their spare infection prevention goods

Call on local citizens before the flood season begins to donate (share) their spare infection prevention goods tofacilities that are designated as shelters in times of emergency. Store the gathered goods in the shelters, so that
evacuees can use them at times of emergency.

Facilities-

Call on evacuees to bring their own infection prevention shelter goods

Make local citizens in areas that may need to evacuate aware in advance that they should carry their own self-use
infection prevention goods when evacuating.

PublicRelations-

Stock up on clinical thermometers

Stock up on clinical thermometers at designated emergency evacuation sites/shelters in order to discover people
running a temperature. As contact from a clinical thermometer may spread the infection, it is best to use a non-contact
thermometer.

PublicRelations-

Stockpile infection prevention goods, such as masks, sanitizer
wipes and sanitizer sprays

Be mindful to bolster stockpiles of water for washing hands

Check in advance to see if designated emergency evacuation sites/shelters are in areas at riskof flooding and landslide damage as well as whether nearby water treatment/water supply
facilities are vulnerable to the same risks, to find out if there is a likelihood that the water supply
may get cut off at times of disaster. If there is a high risk of water supply getting cut off,
stockpile in advance extra supplies of water for handwashing. If there is a shortage, you mustprocure some from adjacent municipalities or from volume retailers that you have agreements
with.

27

Critical Situations during Flood Emergency Response

8 Shelters (designated emergency evacuation shelters and sites, etc.)

The elderly, the pregnant and people with underlying
conditions evacuating in the shelter are raising concerns
about the risks of infection!
~ Growing worries about infection risks due to crowding of evacuees ~Target● Managers of designated emergency evacuation sites/shelters and evacuees

CriticalSituation

Criticalsituation
point

Lots of people have evacuated to the shelter, so crowding is occurring,and early evacuation arrivals such as the elderly and the pregnant are
worried about COVID-19 and are asking if they could use separate
spaces.
Result The risk of infection will increase and confusion will take hold.

Measures
Procedure-Consider with managers of facilities (shelters) the feasibility of using spaces separated from the big main shelter area,
including changing rooms and classrooms that exist in the shelter facility area to accommodate the elderly, thepregnant and people with underlying conditions. If utilization is possible, consider specific usage methods.

Facilities-

Control flow of people at receptions of designated emergency evacuationsites/shelters, etc.

In responding to disasters, thoroughly implement shelter reception guidance, checking to see if evacuees haveunderlying conditions or are pregnant as they arrive at the entrance of designated emergency evacuationsites/shelters, and allocating them slots in the space-divided shelter to prevent space-taking confusion.

During Disaster
Response-

Make the relevant residents aware of evacuation options other than designatedemergency evacuation sites/shelters

Make the elderly, the pregnant and people with underlying conditions aware prior to the flood season that theyshould envisage an evacuation destination other than a conventional designated emergency evacuation site/shelter,such as a friendʼs or relativeʼs home. There are various methods for making them aware - conceivably, flyers could
be distributed at hospitals and/or posted on noticeboards, and messages could be put in public relations pamphlet
and disaster prevention emails.

During Disaster
Response-

Consider use of partitions for space division and consider layouts

To avoid the 3Cs, organize partitions for space division, dividing space with infection risks in mind.

PublicRelations-

Consider space division at designated emergency evacuation sites/shelters

Control flow of people by staggering process

・At times of disaster, smoothly controlling everything from the outset at shelter receptions is
the hardest job. Nevertheless, as time elapses, the situation will calm down, enabling a steady
response, so if space division is not in place, it is a good idea to stagger the process according
to the situation, by dividing off space for people at high risk of becoming infected – in otherwords, do not be overly concerned about the initial configuration, instead, it is better to beflexible.

28

Critical Situations during Flood Emergency Response

8 Shelters (designated emergency evacuation shelters and sites, etc.)

Someone has a really bad cough,which has led to trouble with other evacuees!
~ Due to restlessness and stress during evacuation, evacuees start todiscriminate against and ostracize each other~
Target● Managers of designated emergency evacuation sites/shelters and evacuees

CriticalSituation
Criticalsituation
point

People crowded into the same space in a shelter causes tension andstress, which can lead to discrimination and ostracism against peoplesuspected of being infected with COVID-19 or other disease andagainst minorities.
Result Trouble will break out among evacuees, leading to confusion.

Measures
PublicRelations-

People suspected of being infected with COVID-19 should be steered away from evacuating to designatedemergency evacuation sites/shelters by using various methods for making them aware in advance of options, suchas notices on noticeboards in medical facilities and messages in public relations pamphlets and disaster prevention
emails.

Procedure-

Stockpile clinical thermometers

Stockpile clinical thermometers in designated emergency evacuation sites/shelters in order to discoveranyone running a temperature (fever). As contact from a clinical thermometer may spread the infection, it isbest to use a non-contact thermometer. If a feverish person is discovered, swiftly isolate him/her in a spaceaway from the main shelter space.

During Disaster
Response-

Arrange posters and notices that call for mutual tolerance(no discrimination/ostracism)

Arrange for posters and notices to be put up in advance which call for mutual tolerance (no discrimination/ostracism)
between evacuees in designated emergency evacuation sites/shelters.

Facilities-

Arrange a reception sheet for listing names of evacuees

Prepare/create a reception sheet for listing evacuee names and asking them about their health, to enable you to
distinguish suspected COVID-19 symptoms at reception (arrival point) at designated shelters.

Facilities-

Consider space division at designated emergency evacuation sites/shelters

In designated emergency evacuation sites/shelters, consider with facility (shelter) managers the feasibility ofaccommodating suspected infection cases in spaces separated from the big main shelter area, including changing
rooms and classrooms that exist in the shelter facility. If utilization is possible, consider specific usage methods.

Procedure-

Make the relevant residents aware of evacuation options other than designatedemergency evacuation sites/shelters

Control flow of people at receptions of designated emergency
evacuation sites/shelters, etc.

In responding to disasters, thoroughly implement shelter reception guidance, to enable you toscreen out suspected COVID-19 symptoms at reception (entrance) of designated emergency
evacuation sites/shelters, and allocate non-infected evacuees slots in the space-divided shelter
to prevent space-taking confusion.

29

Critical Situations during Flood Emergency Response

8 Shelters (designated emergency evacuation shelters and sites, etc.)

We lack assistance. Should we ask for support or
make do by ourselves from the perspective ofpreventing infections?
~ Shortage of manpower at shelters due to priority being given to infection
prevention ~Target● Managers of designated emergency evacuation sites/shelters

CriticalSituation
Criticalsituation
point

Just a manager of a facility serving as a designated emergency
evacuation site/shelter and personnel are not enough for the task, but ifthey were to ask for extra manpower from outside, someone fromamong that assistance may be infected with COVID-19, which
increases the risk of the virus spread.
Result Risk of infections among evacuees increases

Measures
Procedure-

In usual times of disaster, just a manager and personnel are not enough to run a designated emergency evacuationsite/shelter, but, under the risk of infection, asking for manpower support for other areas, may easily increase the riskof infection. Therefore, the response plan must be reviewed on the assumption that the shelter concerned will be run
by a limited number of personnel without any envisaged assistance provided.

Procedure-

Make the public aware of the collaboration with local community to run shelters

In advance, given that there is a need to prevent infections from COVID-19, make the public awarethat shelters will be established and run with the cooperation of local citizens and volunteers, and lookto unearth even more people who are eager to help.

Facilities-

Review shelter operation manual

Taking into consideration the need to prevent COVID-19 infections, consideration should be given to how shelters canbe established and run with the cooperation of local citizens and volunteers. And, the shelter operation manual should
be reviewed to clarify the methods needed for such collaboration.

PublicRelations-

Consider running shelters in collaboration with local communities

When responding with just limited manpower, it is necessary to establish and run shelters with the cooperation of local
citizens and volunteers. The shelter facility’s manager should work with local citizens, etc., to specifically consider
what kind of duties can be performed by local citizens and volunteers.

Procedure-

Review plan to respond with limited manpower

Stockpile infection prevention goods for local citizens, etc.
involved in running shelters

If local residents, volunteers and others are asked to cooperate in the establishing and running ofshelters, infection prevention measures must be taken for those people.

30

Critical Situations during Flood Emergency Response

8 Shelters (designated emergency evacuation shelters and sites, etc.)

We must have ventilation to counter the risk of infection,
but if the benefits of air conditioning are negated, we could
easily have cases of heatstroke!
~ Fear of heatstroke during extremely hot periods if infection prevention isprioritized ~Target● Managers of designated emergency evacuation sites/shelters and evacuees

CriticalSituation
Criticalsituation
point

From the perspective of infection prevention, ventilation of closed spaces is
extremely important. Conversely, during extremely hot periods, if thepower is still working, and air conditioning can be used, ventilating willcounteract the benefits of air conditioning, and, perhaps, lead to greaterrisk of heatstroke cases.

Result Increased risk of heatstroke cases in shelters during extremely hot periods.

Measures
PublicRelations-

In extremely hot periods, the risk of heatstroke will increase if air conditioning is not used due to a preference forventilating. Therefore, make people who are prone to heatstroke, such as the elderly, the pregnant and people with
underlying conditions, aware prior to the flood season that they should envisage an evacuation destination otherthan a conventional designated emergency evacuation site/shelter, such as a friendʼs or relativeʼs home. There arevarious methods for making them aware - conceivably, flyers could be distributed at hospitals and/or posted on
noticeboards, and messages could be put in public relations pamphlet and disaster prevention emails.

PublicRelations-

Arrange equipment to counter heatstroke

Consider arranging equipment to counter heatstroke, such as electric fans, because there will be a greater risk ofheatstroke if air conditioning is not used/ineffectual due to a preference for ventilating.

During Disaster
Response-

Call on evacuees to carry heatstroke prevention goods

In extremely hot periods, make the public aware in advance in areas that may need to be evacuated that they should
carry goods, such as fans and towels, that help to counter heatstroke when they evacuate.

Facilities-

Make the relevant residents aware of evacuation options other than designatedemergency evacuation sites/shelters

Call for ventilating and hydrating given the risks of heatstroke

In extremely hot periods, consideration must be given to heatstroke measures, such as
drinking water (hydration) and periodically running air conditioning to lower room temperatureof shelter, when there is a risk of heatstroke because air conditioning is not being used due topreference for ventilating.

31

Critical Situations during Flood Emergency Response

8 Shelters (designated emergency evacuation shelters and sites, etc.)

We need to distribute food, but is it okay toboil some rice and serve it?
~ Coping with infection risks when needing to cook and serve food ~Target● Managers of designated emergency evacuation sites/shelters and evacuees

CriticalSituation
Criticalsituationpoint

In cases of prolonged evacuation, food must be distributed (rice boiled
and served), but, if hygiene is a problem, the risk of infection will get
greater when distributing food or cooking & serving rice.

Result Risk of infections among evacuees increases

Measures
Procedure-

From the perspective of preventing infection from COVID-19, it is a good idea to serve individually wrapped food
whenever possible. Serving boiled rice from a big pot or in reusable bowls will increase the risk of infection.. Therefore,
before the flood season starts, check the state of foods already stockpiled.

During Disaster
Response-

Avoid cues when food is being distributed

Making evacuees cue for food will increase the risk of infection from COVID-19. Therefore, it is necessary to come up
with ways to distribute food with out cueing, such as calling evacuees up by block.

During Disaster
Response-

Make evacuees aware that they should face away from other people when eating& drinking

Make evacuees aware that they should face away from other people when eating & drinking distributed food because,
if there are infected person(s) present, sitting face-to-face and/or chatting over meals will increase the risk of infection
among evacuees.

During Disaster
Response-

Find out the health conditions of people distributing food

Infected food distributors will expose evacuees to infection. Therefore, people involved in distributing food must havetheir health checked, including temperature checks and questioning on whether there are any family members and/or
friends infected.

During Disaster
Response-

Check state of stockpiled low-infection-risk foods, such as individually wrapped foodPrevent infections when collecting garbage

There is a risk of infection spread from food & drink garbage of infected evacuees, so thegreatest of care must be taken, including the disposal of food & drink waste in securely
sealed garbage bags. Also, if evacuees suspected of infection have been allocatedseparate space under the space division plan, the garbage coming out of that space mustbe handled with great care.

32

Critical Situations during Flood Emergency Response

8 Shelters (designated emergency evacuation shelters and sites, etc.)

Volunteers have arrived, but – from theperspective of infection - should I let them help?
~ Dealing with volunteers who may have come from other areas ~Target● Managers of designated emergency evacuation sites/shelters and evacuees

CriticalSituation
Criticalsituation
point

Disaster areas are really grateful for the arrival of out-of-town
volunteers, but if they have come from widely infected areas, therisk of infection increases.

Result Risk of infections among evacuees increases

Measures
Procedure-

Under usual disaster circumstances, disaster areas are really grateful for the arrival of out-of-town volunteers, but, inthe midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, if they have come from widely infected areas, the evacuees are exposed to agreater risk of infection. Therefore, advanced consideration must be given to the policy for responding to out-of-town
volunteers and the specific actions to be taken.

Procedure-

Selectively screen the work that volunteers will be involved in

In usual disaster situations, volunteers can be asked to prepare/cook and distribute food. However, amidst the
COVID-19 pandemic, anyone suspected of being infected who is involved in preparing/distributing food will be putting
evacuees at risk of infection. Accordingly, if you accept out-of-town volunteers, it is a good idea to ask them to carryout tasks that have relatively less contact with evacuees.

During Disaster
Response-

Handling volunteers when their involvement is accepted

Basically, from the perspective of preventing the spread of COVID-19, it is advisable not to accept out-of-town
volunteers. However, if consideration of the matter leads you to a decision to accept them, you must thoroughly checkand question them about health and contacts, including taking temperature and asking about their and family/friends’
health, turning away anyone who is suspected of being infected.

During Disaster
Response-

Consider response to arrival of out-of-town volunteers

Make absolutely sure that volunteers are carrying (using)
infection prevention goods

Stockpiled infection prevention goods are for evacuees, so volunteers ought to carry theirown goods, such as masks and sanitizer wipes. And, if volunteers are not carrying such
goods, you have no choice but to turn them away.

33

Critical Situations during Flood Emergency Response

8 Shelters (designated emergency evacuation shelters and sites, etc.)

The water supply is cut off, and we’re lacking
handwashing water!
~ Difficulty in providing handwashing water at shelter due to water supply cutoff
caused by flooding ~Target● Managers of designated emergency evacuation sites/shelters and evacuees

CriticalSituation
Criticalsituation
point

Prolonged evacuation of many evacuees in a shelter increases theimportance of enforced hand washing and sanitizing as well as
enhanced hygiene management, but handwashing becomesdifficult if the water supply is cut off because of flooding.
Result Risk of infections among evacuees increases

Measures
Procedure-

Check in advance to see if designated emergency evacuation sites/shelters are at risk of flooding and/or landslide
damage, and also check if nearby water treatment plants and supply facilities are at high risk of having water supply
cut off.

Facilities-

Call on evacuees to carry infection prevention shelter goods

Make residents who live in areas that may require evacuation fully aware of the need for them to carry their own
infection prevention goods when evacuating.
During Disaster
Response-

Review emergency water-supply plan

As it is vital to secure water for handwashing etc., while water supply is cut off, the emergency water-supply plan must
be reviewed in advance in order to be ready for prolonged evacuations.

Procedure-

Stockpile infection prevention goods, such as sanitizer wipes and sprays

As much as possible, procure goods that enable infection prevention without the use of water, such as sanitizer wipes
and sprays, in readiness to combat water supply cutoff that will curtail handwashing and cleaning.

Procedure-

Increase stockpiles with the need for handwashing water in mind

As a beforehand measure, assume that there will be a handwashing water shortage due to supply cutoff, and increase
stockpile of water accordingly.

Facilities-

Grasp flood/landslide risks and water cutoff risks for shelters

Obtain/set up emergency water-supply that takes into
consideration handwashing, etc.

If water supply is cut off and evacuation is prolonged, obtain/set up an emergency water-supply
that takes into consideration the securing of handwashing, etc.

34

Critical Situations during Flood Emergency Response

8 Shelters (designated emergency evacuation shelters and sites, etc.)

It seems there was an infected person among theevacuees, but we don’t know who the high-risk
contacts are!
~ Difficulty in grasping who are high-risk contacts ~Target● Managers of designated emergency evacuation sites/shelters and evacuees

CriticalSituation
Criticalsituation
point

The public health center informed us that a person who had temporarily
evacuated at our shelter later went on to test positive for COVID-19 at
the health center. However, we have no record of an evacuee by thename given to us, so we do not know the space allocated to that person.

Result The high-risk contacts of the infected person are unknown, so
evacuees become worried. Also, as the used shelter space isalso unclear, the entire shelter has to be disinfected.

Measures
Procedure-Prepare a reception sheet for listing names of evacuees

Prepare a reception sheet for recording names of evacuees in readiness for tracing people if it emerges that anevacuee tests positive at a later date, making sure that evacuees write down their names and contact details, and thatyou record their state of health at time of evacuation, in order to make tracing easier.

During Disaster
Response

Distinguish people suspected of being infected at receptions of designatedemergency evacuation sites/shelters-

In disaster response, if a suspected COVID-19 case comes to the designated emergency evacuation site/shelter toevacuate regardless of advance guidance, get that person to make a self-declaration about his/her condition at theentrance reception.

-

If implementing space division, record the space to be used by that evacuee and his/her state of health in thereception sheet, so that any people coming into close contact with that evacuee can be traced if necessary.

Facilities-

If evacuation at designated emergency evacuation sites/shelters becomes prolonged, the health of evacuees maychange. Therefore, stock up on clinical thermometers in order to distinguish changes in the health of evacuees. As
contact from a clinical thermometer may spread the infection, it is best to use a non-contact thermometer.

During Disaster
Response-

Stockpile clinical thermometers

Make evacuees aware of the need to record their health changes

Make evacuees aware that they should notify the shelter reception at anytime if their healthchanges, such as running a high temperature.

35

Critical Situations during Flood Emergency Response

8 Shelters (designated emergency evacuation shelters and sites, etc.)

An evacuee has died. COVID-19 is thesuspected cause. What should we do!?
~ Death of evacuee suspected of COVID-19 infection ~Target● Managers of designated emergency evacuation sites/shelters and evacuees

CriticalSituation
Criticalsituationpoint

An evacuee suspected of COVID-19 infection died while being
isolated in shelter. The body needs to be dealt with quickly, butthere are fears about infection.
Result Risk of infections among evacuees increases

Measures
ProcedureConsider infection prevention action to be taken if an evacuee dies-With a major disaster, evacuation may be prolonged and shelter environments may deteriorate, possibly leading to thedeaths of evacuees in shelters. Hence, amidst the current COVID-19 pandemic, any deaths where the cause isunknown must be treated as having the potential to be COVID-19 deaths, which means consideration must be given
to infection prevention measures in places serving as morgues and for handling corpses.

-

In such cases, family, friends and any close contacts of the deceased must be isolated as close-contact cases.

Procedure-

Confirm in advance the method used to contact the public health center (also clarify procedures) if a person who has
died in the shelter is suspected of infection by COVID-19.

Procedure-

Review shelter operation manual

Review and clarify procedures in shelter operation manual with regard to anyone dying in the
shelter under the suspicion of infection by COVID-19.

During Disaster
Response-

Confirm method used to contact public health center if someone dies at shelter

Swiftly take measures for people who were in close contact,such as family and friends

As people who were in close contact with the deceased, such as family and friends, become
high-risk contacts, swift action must be taken to isolate them, inform the public health centerand arrange for coronavirus testing (PCR test) to confirm whether or not they are infected.

36

Critical Situations during Flood Emergency Response

8 Shelters (designated emergency evacuation shelters and sites, etc.)

Evacuees and residents at welfare facility shelter aremingling, which is increasing the risk of infection !
~ Mingling of evacuees and residents at welfare facility shelter ~Target● Managers of welfare facility shelters and evacuees

CriticalSituation
Criticalsituation
point

Welfare facilities are established as secondary shelters to enable
the disabled and people requiring a high level of care to lead theirlives while taking shelter because predictably disasters will lead toprolonged evacuation. However, such welfare facility shelters
already have residents, who end up mingling with new evacuees.
Result Risk of residents becoming infected grows due topotential infectors among the intake of new evacuees.

Measures
Facilities

Utilize space to create boundaries between normally present residents and new
evacuees-

In cases where special nursing homes for the aged and other nursing homes for the elderly are used as welfare
facility shelters, the facility being used as a shelter will normally have residents, who will be added to by incoming
evacuees, which, in turn, will require consideration to be given to how space is used in order to prevent mingling,including the use of separate buildings, or separate floors and/or separate entrances and exits by residents and new
evacuees.

-

Consideration must also be given to common facilities, such as toilets, with care taken to make sure that new
evacuees do not share the same common facilities as residents and staff at the welfare facility.

Procedure-

If there are COVID-19 cases mixed in with the new evacuees, and the staff taking care of the new evacuees move
between new evacuee and resident spaces in welfare facility shelters, there is a potential risk of the staff spreading
the infection. Therefore, decide who the staff members to look after new evacuees will be and do the utmost to
prevent them having contact with the residents.

Procedure-

Limit the number of and manage carers attending to evacuees

Evacuees arriving into welfare facility shelters are sometimes accompanied by carers/family members, and allowing
an unspecified large number of the public into the facility will complicate fact finding if the infection spreads for some
unknown reason. Thus, a limit must be set for the number of accompanying carers, etc.

During Disaster
Response-

Deploy staff to deal with new evacuees

Grasp evacuee circumstances when they arebeing received at reception

If evacuees are being accepted into a welfare facility shelter, makethorough checks to find out about the health of the evacuee and whether
there are any family members, etc., who are infected. If there is a risk ofinfection, take necessary action, such as isolating the evacuee.

37

Critical Situations during Flood Emergency Response

8 Shelters (designated emergency evacuation shelters and sites, etc.)

We’re getting inquiries from homecare recipients asking for awelfare facility shelter, but all such facilities are full, so whatshould we do?
~ Confusion in operating welfare facility shelters ~● Homecare recipients and managers of welfare facility shelters

TargetCriticalSituation
Criticalsituation
point

Inquiries about evacuating to welfare facility shelters came from homecare
recipients living in areas where flooding had disrupted lifeline
infraProcedures making evacuation to designated emergency evacuationsites/shelters difficult. However, as limits have been imposed on thenumber of evacuees accepted in order to prevent infection spread, thefacilities in question were all full.

Result Lack of evacuation destinations for homecare recipients, which led to confusion.

Measures
PublicRelations-

Conventional welfare facility shelters will lack capacity due to restrictions placed on them out of consideration of
infection prevention, which may mean that requests for shelter in such welfare facility shelters by homecare recipients
may be turned down due to a lack of space. Thus, they must be made aware of the need to consider alternative
evacuation destinations, such as a relative’s/friend’s home, before disaster strikes.

Procedure-

Secure forms of collaboration and movement with adjacent municipalities not
suffering from disaster damage.

When considering accepting evacuees at facilities other than conventional welfare facility shelters, a sticking point
might be that there are few such facilities in the relevant area to start with. Hence, consideration must be given toasking adjacent municipalities that are undamaged or only slightly damaged to accept evacuees into their facilities.
Thus, you must collaborate with those municipalities and their facilities, and consider how to secure transfer of theevacuees to those facilities.

Procedure-Consider evacuation destinations other than conventional welfare facility
shelters

As conventionally assumed welfare facility shelters may lack capacity, estimate how many people are likely to seek to
evacuate to welfare facility shelters, and consider evacuation destinations other than conventional welfare facility
shelters, such as public facilities, hotels and inns. Here, consideration must also be given to the securing of staff todeal with evacuees at those alternative shelters.

Procedure-

Make homecare recipients aware that they should consider evacuation
destinations that suit them

Collaborate with medical/health/welfare

It is essential to collaborate with medical/health/welfare stakeholders who deal withhomecare recipients on a daily basis. Those stakeholders must be collaborated with inorder to consider specific evacuation destinations for homecare recipients and how they
will be transferred to those destinations.

38

Critical Situations during Flood Emergency Response

8 Shelters (designated emergency evacuation shelters and sites, etc.)

As schools move to reopen, we need to aggregate shelters,
but, after that, how should we deal with shelter spaces for
mild COVID-19 cases?
~ Responding to aggregation and closing of shelters ~Target● Managers of shelters and evacuees

CriticalSituation
Criticalsituation
point

Elementary school classrooms have been used to shelter mild COVID-19
cases in designated emergency evacuation sites/shelters, but now that
schools are moving to reopen and shelters are being aggregated, nothing
was decided in advance about whether we should disinfect thoseclassrooms.

Result Decisions need to be made on how to handle spaces used by mild cases, with time being
needed to carry out disinfection of spaces, which delays the reopening of schools.

Measures
Procedure-

Amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, space division in shelters is necessary to accommodate infection circumstancesamong evacuees. Yet, as time elapses from disaster outbreak, those spaces need to be appropriately reorganized.
Notably, mild cases scattered among multiple facilities leads to an infection risk, so it is highly necessary to aggregate
those mild cases. Therefore, it is necessary to consider in advance a utilization plan that caters to issues up toaggregation and closure of shelters.

Procedure-

Keep a record of space occupation by mild cases, etc.

If space division has been implemented in a shelter to deal with evacuee infections, keep a record of space
occupation, including dates and infection status of evacuees using such spaces. And when such spaces areaggregated or closed, the necessary infection prevention measures must be implemented based on the record kept.
Also, the use of common facilities, such as toilets, must be tracked in the same way, so that a history of use is known.

Procedure-Consider infection prevention measures, such as disinfecting spaces that mildcases have stayed in

When closing spaces in shelters that have been occupied by COVID-19 cases and mild cases, those spaces must be
appropriately disinfected to prepare them for reopening for normal use. Therefore, it is necessary to consider inadvance infection prevention measures (disinfecting spaces, etc.) and procedures for reopening for normal use.

During Disaster
Response-

Consider utilization plan that caters to issues up to aggregation and closure of
shelters

Consider procedures for reopening spaces that have been occupied by mild cases

If elementary school (serving as designated emergency evacuationsite/shelter) classrooms have been used as spaces to shelter mild COVID19 cases, explanations must be provided to school stakeholders andparents of students, telling them how the classrooms have been
appropriately disinfected in preparation for the school to reopen. Therefore,
it is necessary to consider in advance the procedures for reopening spacesthat have been used as shelters.

39

Training Worksheet for Critical Situations in Response to Flooding●Target and example of this worksheet
No.

Example●Five questions for chosen example(1) Could a similar situation occur in your local authority/department?

(2) Are necessary measures (facilities) in place to avoid thesituation occurring?

(3) Are necessary measures (Procedures, manuals and plans, etc.)
in place to avoid the situation occurring?

(4) Are necessary measures (Public Relations) in place to avoid thesituation occurring?

(5) Are necessary measures (during response to disaster) in place
to avoid the situation occurring?

Affiliation (organization)：

Name：Postscript
In this booklet (appendix), I provide cases (examples) about the risks of COVID-19
infection faced by disaster response personnel and evacuees in times of flooding
amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, which puts difficulties, panic, confusion, indecision
and worries on the shoulders of disaster prevention managers and the personnel who
oversee the evacuation of the public.
All local governments are facing the unprecedented task of responding to disasters
amidst the current COVID-19 pandemic. And, although I do not guarantee that thisbooklet has all the answers in its examples, I do hope that they offer hints as to what
measures need to be considered in line with the situations in each individual local
government and the prevalence of infection in areas.
Keeping in mind the stages that need to be worked through before wide-area
support personnel arrive, please note that the disaster phase that this booklet deals
with is the period from before the disaster outbreak up to the opening of shelters, itdoes not include life rebuilding assistance and recovery work.
Further, the cases in this booklet are based on knowledge in Japan at time of
publishing – hence, the contents of this booklet must be updated as needed.
In compiling this booklet, I referred to the documents listed on the next page, and I
would like to take this opportunity to express my gratitude for the guidance they gaveme.
Senior Researcher Miho Ohara (author of this booklet)
International Center for Water Hazard and Risk
Management (ICHARM) under the auspices of UNESCO,
Public Works Research Institute (PWRI), Japan
June 2020

Critical Situations during Flood Emergency Response(Appendix: Local Government Response under COVID)
Contact:
Tel: +81-29-879-6809
E-mail: icharm@pwri.go.jp

41

References- Response to COVID-19 in shelters, Cabinet Office (Disaster Management), Civil
Protection and Disaster Management Department of Fire and Disaster Management
Agency, Health Bureau of Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, Japan, 1 April 2020
- Response to COVID-19 in shelters, Cabinet Office (Disaster Management), Civil
Protection and Disaster Management Department of Fire and Disaster Management
Agency, Health Bureau of Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, Japan, 1 April 2020
- Further response to COVID-19 in shelters, Cabinet Office (Disaster Management), Civil
Protection and Disaster Management Department of Fire and Disaster Management
Agency, Health Bureau of Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, Japan, 7 April 2020
- Utilizing hotels and inns, etc., as shelters during disasters to serve as a COVID-19
countermeasure, Cabinet Office (Disaster Management), Civil Protection and Disaster
Management Department of Fire and Disaster Management Agency, Health Bureau of
Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, Tourism Industry Division of Japan Tourism
Agency, Japan, 28 April 2020
- COVID-19 Q&A (for the general public), Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, Japan,
26 May 2020
- A guideline for the creation of countermeasures against flood disasters during apandemic situation (COVID-19), Maki KOYAMA, Sakiko KANBARA, Osamu
MINAMISAWA, 27 May 2020
- The Principles to Address Water-related Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) under the
COVID-19 Pandemic, High-level Experts and Leaders Panel on Water and Disasters(HELP), 29 May 2020
- Guideline on training for establishment and operation of shelters that take into
consideration COVID-19 measures, Cabinet Office (Disaster Management), Civil
Protection and Disaster Management Department of Fire and Disaster Management
Agency, Health Bureau of Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, Japan, 8 June 2020
- COVID-19 response Q&A (1st edition), Cabinet Office (Disaster Management), Civil
Protection and Disaster Management Department of Fire and Disaster Management
Agency, Health Bureau of Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, Tourism Industry
Division of Japan Tourism Agency, Japan, 10 June 2020
- Reference material for responding to COVID-19 in shelters, Cabinet Office (Disaster
Management), Civil Protection and Disaster Management Department of Fire andDisaster Management Agency, Health Bureau of Ministry of Health, Labour andWelfare, Japan, 10 June 202042

Collection of Critical Situations during Flood Emergency Response(Appendix: Local Government Response under COVID-19)
Published by International Center for Water Hazard and Risk Management (ICHARM)
under the auspices of UNESCO,
Public Works Research Institute (PWRI), Japan
Publication date: June 2020
Inquiries about this booklet:
Tel: +81-29-879-6809
E-mail: icharm@pwri.go.jp