Abstract
As a result of tsunami associated with the Nankai Trough Earthquake, the predicted death toll in night-time is larger than that in day-time. That is why the start of evacuation is often delayed if an earthquake occurs at night, and the walking speed of evacuation at night tends to decline due to poor visibility caused by low illuminance level of evacuation routes and difficulty in walking through rubble. Therefore, improvement of the visual environment at night-time is very important for quick evacuation from tsunami.
In this paper, a pilot study on guiding method for tsunami evacuees with lighting system in a coastal area of Fukura district of Minami Awaji City was reported, where heavy damage is anticipated by Tsunami of Nankai Trough Earthquake. The pilot study was conducted through the actual evacuation drill at this district in day-time and night-time, and 177 data in day-time and 146 data in night-time of this district residents were collected by the questionnaire survey. Some participants wear a portable GPS device for measuring their walking speed and moving track at the evacuation drill. Moreover, six participants who were not familiar with this district (i.e., assumed tourists) took part in this pilot study after the actual evacuation drill for residents. The major findings of this research are as follows:
1) Assumed tourists who were not familiar with this district and with newly outside deployed disaster prevention equipment “illuminated guidance sign for tsunami evacuation” cannot understand what it was. 90% of resident participants who had been given information about these signs' meanings and setting positions noticed them in the actual evacuation drill. However, only 17% of assumed tourists did notice them. In order for illuminated guidance signs to function effectively, it is necessary to educate the population in addition to better the specification and placement.
2) Illuminated guidance sign indicating the evacuation area itself is useful for evacuees to confirm the direction for evacuating and let them know they are evacuating properly, therefore give evacuees sense of relief.
3) Because it is not always true that evacuees carry flashlights with them, it is necessary to place security lights with built-in battery on major evacuation routes to guarantee the minimum level of needed illuminance on the road surface.
