A quantitative approach to the 2014 Mt. Ontake volcanic eruption news coverage: understanding the information gap and the public response to the anniversary coverage

Abstract

This paper studies the news coverage of the 2014 Mt. Ontake eruption disaster from 2015 to 2019, and the public response to the fifth anniversary coverage. Information on the issues regarding the risk of low-frequency disaster events such as volcanic eruption is brought into the public largely through the media. Unless there is a volcano nearby, there are few opportunities to discuss volcanic disaster prevention, and enhance volcanic risk perception. Therefore, the media agendas on volcanic risk are an indicator of what people know about volcanic disaster preparedness. This study quantitatively analyzed the 2014 Mt. Ontake eruption reports of national, regional, and local newspapers to reveal their topic distributions. In addition, the anniversary gained intense public attention due to the large amount of media coverage. It was a significant opportunity for society to discuss volcanic risk. By observing people’s online responses to the anniversary coverage, a trend could be identified. We found a significant difference in media attention among the three newspaper types. The local newspaper covered four topics relating to volcanic risk in a well-balanced way, but the national and regional newspapers paid greater attention to one or two topics. Many online comments presented the view that a mountaineering should be done at individuals’ own risk, and volcano shelters would be ineffective for averting volcanic disasters. The anniversary coverage unintentionally contributes to stigmatizing or scapegoating a certain group, rather than promoting risk communication in the public sphere on the Web. With the onset of the information and communication information technology era, an online dialogue regarding disaster awareness and prevention is important. A volcano disaster risk communication strategy on the Web should be developed.

Phreatic and Hydrothermal Eruptions: From Overlooked to Looking Over

“…The sudden and unexpected nature of phreatic and hydrothermal eruptions demands that we develop rapid and automated warning tools. However, it will be challenging to understand the limits of such tools, and consider how best to transfer the alert information of an imminent eruption as quickly as possible, using plain language that the public can understand, and also remaining true to the inherent uncertainties in forecasting events (Fearnley et al 2017;Fitzgerald et al 2017;Yamada 2022). Ongoing strategies used, for example in Japan, foresee precise and dense monitoring of geothermal and fumarolic areas, where anomalies and crises are assessed in terms of seismicity, geodesy and geochemistry.…”