First detailed guidelines for residents will be shared with ministries and prefectures for disaster relief
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Residents have been advised to stay home to avoid panic and stock up on groceries if Mount Fuji erupts and covers Tokyo in ash, according to guidelines released by a government expert panel.
Evacuation is recommended only if ash accumulates beyond 30cm, especially near wooden buildings at risk of collapse, the government’s new guidelines say.
Experts created the guidelines based on the government’s request to study the impact of a Mount Fuji eruption on Tokyo and prepare countermeasures. These are the first detailed guidelines for residents, and the government will share them with ministries and prefectures for disaster relief.
The study estimates that a major eruption of Mount Fuji could release up to 490 million cubic metres of ash – about 10 times more debris than the 2011 earthquake and tsunami produced.
The expert panel categorised ashfall into four stages, from Stage 1 – under three cm – to Stage 4 – over 30cm. While the first three stages likely won’t harm outdoor workers immediately, prolonged exposure could affect their throat and eyes.
Residents are advised to stay home, avoid unnecessary outings, and wear goggles and masks if going out. Those with respiratory issues should be extra cautious, the expert panel recommends. Driving is also discouraged due to reduced visibility in such a scenario. Residents are usually advised to keep a week’s worth of emergency supplies for earthquakes, but the panel suggests stocking up more since a Mount Fuji eruption could last longer. The last eruption in 1707 lasted two weeks. In a Stage 4 ashfall, power, water, and phone services might be disrupted.
File. A person takes pictures of Mount Fuji from across the street of a convenience store in the town of Fujikawaguchiko, Yamanashi prefecture on 21 May 2024
File. A person takes pictures of Mount Fuji from across the street of a convenience store in the town of Fujikawaguchiko, Yamanashi prefecture on 21 May 2024
Although experts say Mount Fuji shows no signs of an imminent eruption, authorities are monitoring it closely because it’s considered a dormant volcano, not extinct. Professor Takeshi Sagiya from Nagoya University told the South China Morning Post that volcanic ash could lead to many unexpected problems. He explained that volcanic ash is made of tiny fragments of melted rock, resembling fine glass powder.
“It is even more dangerous for aircraft in flight because it will stop engines if it is sucked in,” he said.
Experts have recommended the government find places to store ash to help with relief efforts temporarily. They suggest using the ash in construction, placing it in landfills, or discarding it in the ocean if necessary. They also stressed the need to educate residents about the impact of an eruption and train more volcano disaster relief experts.
Professor Emeritus Fujii Toshitsugu from the University of Tokyo, who leads the panel, was quoted as saying by NHK Japan that Japan hasn’t faced a widespread ashfall from an eruption in the past 100 years. He told the outlet that he believes it’s time for the country to start preparing for such a disaster.