Tsuruoka experts call for stronger national support for evacuation centers

At a disaster prevention lecture in Tsuruoka, Professor Mieko Ishii of the International University of Health and Welfare emphasized the urgent need for stronger national support to improve evacuation center environments. The lecture, organized by the Tsuruoka Disaster Volunteer Network, focused on preventing disaster-related deaths.

Professor Ishii noted that prolonged stays in evacuation centers increase health risks, including economy class syndrome, hypertension, and high blood sugar due to stress and poor nutrition. She highlighted that in the 2016 Kumamoto earthquake and the 2024 Noto Peninsula earthquake, disaster-related deaths exceeded direct deaths from the initial disasters.

Critiquing current Japanese standards, Ishii argued that evacuation environments often lack adequate privacy, heating, cooling, and sanitation compared to other countries like Italy. She urged the national government to take direct responsibility for supporting municipalities rather than leaving management entirely to local authorities to protect the dignity and human rights of evacuees.