Tsunami Disaster Management for Business Continuity of Companies in a Port Area

Abstract

ABSTRACT : Most of the companies in the coastal areas are located in the unsheltered land and many of them are threatened by inundation caused even by a frequent tsunami. Therefore, based on these circumstances, it is necessary not only to mention saving human lives, but also to develop strategies for speedy restoration of industrial and logistic facilities as well as business continuity plan. Through the reports after meeting with companies located in the ports along the Pacific Coast in the Tohoku District, this study demonstrates the impact which Tsunami disaster in the port has on business continuity of those companies, and expected tsunami countermeasures that the government should take. In the result, it is found that the destruction of breakwaters among the tsunami damages in the port is most serious for the prompt recovery of affected company, and prompt rapid restoration of the breakwaters should be required. Furthermore, from the view point of business continuity of companies located in the oceanfront areas, we observed tsunami prevention measures in the harbor, such as objectives for tsunami prevention or performance requirements of breakwaters.