This study develops a method for estimating the number of casualties that may occur while people evacuate from an inundation zone when a tsunami has inundated an area. The method is based on a simple model of hydrodynamic forces as they affect the human body. The method uses a Tsunami casualty index (TCI) computed at each grid point of a numerical tsunami model to determine locations and times within the tsunami inundation zone where evacuation during the tsunami inundation is not possible and therefore where casualties are likely to occur. The locations and times can be combined with information about population density to compute the potential number of casualties. This information is useful in developing tsunami evacuation routes that avoid such locations. To illustrate the method, it is applied to the Seattle waterfront in Washington State, USA, that is under the threat of possible tsunami disasters due to Seattle Fault earthquakes. Preliminary results suggest that the tsunami casualties may occur within the Seattle waterfront for 15 min, during the time interval from 3 to 18 min after a large Seattle Fault tsunami is generated when the background tide level is mean high water.

Purpose -The Disaster Awareness Game (DAG) was designed to evaluate and promote disaster awareness among children in multicultural societies. This study seeks to discuss this. Design/methodology/approach -The validation methodology was undertaken in four stages: Pre-Test Stage -this stage is intended to evaluate the existing levels of disaster awareness among the target population using a questionnaire survey. DAG Exposure 1 -This represents the second stage of the pre-test through exposure of the target population to the DAG. Provision of disaster information -In this stage, participants are provided with disaster management information on hazards that are pertinent to their environment. Post-test stage -this stage was intended to evaluate the impact of the DAG and the provision of disaster information on the level of awareness among participants. Findings -Preliminary results suggest that the tool is effective in educating children about hazards, and measuring levels of disaster awareness and is interesting enough to hold children's attention.Research limitations/implications -The present study provides a starting-point for further research in the design and development of tools for measuring levels of disaster awareness and in educating children about disaster preparedness. Originality/value -The DAG can be used as a benchmarking tool for gauging levels of diaster awareness within various groups in society (children, adults, gender, language groups etc.) or across regions in a country (rural versus urban) and in different countries in the Caribbean region (e.g. High income versus Low income) in order to determine and prioritize interventions for disaster education.

Many people died in the Great East Japan Earthquake. However, children in Kamaishi City survived by taking advantage of what they learned from disaster prevention education. It was called the “Kamaishi Miracle,” and the story spread around the world. In this study, the disaster prevention education that made possible the appropriate evacuation of the children is examined and future education possibilities are discussed. First, it should be pointed out that most disaster prevention education conducted before the earthquake took the form of “threatening disaster prevention education” or “knowledge-oriented disaster prevention education.” To solve the deficiencies in these programs, “attitude-oriented disaster prevention education” with a focus on children’s independence is proposed. In addition, three educational guidelines regarding evacuation from tsunamis are discussed. We also study the current status of disaster prevention education in Japan after the earthquake and show that when it puts an emphasis on life and community it have far-reaching effect.

The 26 December Indian Ocean tsunami was an extraordinary event in the history of natural hazards. It severely affected many countries surrounding the Indian Ocean: Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, Myanmar, Bangladesh, India, Sri Lanka, the Maldives, and African countries. Unlike the previous tsunami events in the last 40 years, the seriously affected areas are so vast that a traditional ground-level tsunami survey covering all the necessary areas by a single survey team was impractical. This destructive event will undoubtedly provide many opportunities to explore both basic and applied research in tsunami science and engineering fields and will lead to better preparedness for future disasters. A tsunami runup survey was conducted that spans Vedaranniyam (10° 23.5′ N) to Vodarevu (15° 47.6′ N)—more than 600 km of the southeast Indian coast—which suffered from the distant tsunami, whose source was more than 1,500 km away.

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The high vulnerability of Caribbean countries to multiple hazards is well documented. However, there is a paucity of knowledge related to variations in vulnerability within and among countries. As the Caribbean region moves towards cementing the arrangements for a Caribbean Single Market and Economy (CSME) that will allow greater multiculturalism among many countries of the region, internal disparities in vulnerability are likely to increase. Disaster managers of the region will be challenged with the development of strategies and techniques that will minimize disparities and allow equity in access to disaster information by all cultural groups. The Disaster Awareness Game (DAG) is a response to this challenge and was designed to evaluate levels of disaster awareness among different groups and countries of the Caribbean region as well as to promote awareness equitably to all cultural groups. Application of the DAG in the multicultural setting of the TCI suggests that this technique can be effective in promoting equitable access to disaster education.

This paper discusses methods for realistic simulation of slope failure owing to heavy precipitation in a centrifuge. A rain simulator was developed to provide precipitation that satisfies the conditions in a centrifuge so that the impact pressure on the ground surface in the centrifuge (pm) was reduced to the same level in the prototype (pp). Pneumatic spray nozzles, producing fine droplets with a mean diameter of 20 µm, yield large precipitation intensity of 1500 mm/h on the model at 50g. Accordingly, the model precipitation intensity (rm) was provided by n times the corresponding prototype precipitation intensity (rp). Several sets of centrifuge tests were conducted to observe the progress of failure in the shallow section of the slope. Heavy precipitation induces an increase in the saturation of the soil from the surface. Flow failure was observed repeatedly in the shallow section through progress of the wetting front. In addition, experiments using different viscosity used in the liquid for precipitations were carried out to compare the types of failure. Larger failure by precipitation of the viscous liquid was observed than that of water even when equivalent permeability conditions are maintained. This paper also introduces a method of measuring shear deformation in the shallow section by bending strains, allowing monitoring of the progress of failure.

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