Gov't panel proposes tsunami evacuation plan

A Japanese government panel of experts has agreed to develop a community plan where people can escape from tsunami waves within 5 minutes after an earthquake occurs.

Panel members who specialize in disaster prevention held a meeting on Saturday, to discuss the report they are expected to compile later this month.

The members said that major earthquakes predicted to occur off the Pacific coast of central and western Japan, could trigger huge tsunami waves that are likely to hit some areas within 5 minutes.

The panel decided to incorporate a proposal into the final report that would designate tall buildings as emergency shelter and evacuation routes. This would allow residents to escape from the danger of surging waves within 5 minutes.

The panel also agreed that the principle means of evacuation from a tsunami is on foot. However, elderly people and those who live far away from higher ground are permitted to evacuate by car.

The final report is expected to include ways to safely evacuate depending on local conditions and to provide drivers with some advice on evacuation routes when they get or renew their driver's license.

Professor Yoshiaki Kawata of Kansai University, who chairs the panel, says that some buildings should serve as emergency shelters in a community where there is no higher ground nearby. This would allow people to walk to safety within 5 minutes.