CHARACTERISTICS OF HYDRO-METEOROLOGICAL WARNINGS, FLOOD FORECASTING AND EVACUATION PROTOCOLS —A CASE STUDY OF THE HEAVY RAIN EVENT OF JULY 2020—

Abstract

 This paper clears quantitative characteristics of hydro-meteorological warnings, flood forecasting and evacuation protocols, and the relationships between them in consideration of the degree of warning, during the heavy-rain event of July, 2020. An interview survey also cleared what situations and problems staff of municipalities confronted. As results, the situation showed that the degree of flood warning was rapidly increased, although warnings for landslide were announced in advance of those for floods. In details, the warning level of flood forecasting of Kuma river was changed from 2 to 4 in about an hour as the shortest period. In addition, evacuation protocols about “Evacuation Preparation/Start of Evacuation of the Elderly, etc.” were insufficiently issued due to a limit of forecasting and a necessity of the issuance during daytime.