He Mount Fuji He has not erupted since 1707. However, for the day of volcanic disaster preparation, the Japanese authorities published videos generated by computer and by Where the simulation of a possible violent eruption of the volcano is shown, currently active.
The videos, published this week, aim to prepare the 37 million residents of Tokyo’s metropolitan area against possible disasters.
In the video, released by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government, it is noted that an eruption could occur “at any time, without prior notice”, and volcanic ashes are shown covering, in a matter of hours, the center of Tokyo, about 100 kilometers away, paralyzing transport, interrupting the supply of food and energy, and causing long -term respiratory problems.
The video ends with the message: “We need to arm ourselves with facts and prepare for disasters in our daily lives.” A family pantry supplied with canned foods and a first aid kit.
Tokyo’s government said in a statement that there are currently no signs that Mount Fuji is about to erupt. “The simulation is designed to present precise knowledge and preparation measures that residents can take in case of emergency,” he explained.
But the videos have caused anxiety and confusion among some residents.
“Are there really signs of eruption?” Asked Shinichiro Kariya, a 57 -year -old hospital employee. “Why did we listen to things like ‘could fall ten centimeters of ash’, even in Tokyo? I wonder what this happens suddenly.”
Hiromi Ooki, who lives in the city of Mishima, with privileged views of Fuji, said he planned to buy emergency supplies the next day. “The power of nature is so great that it may be better if it scares us a bit,” he said.
Representatives of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government and the Disaster Prevention Division of the Japan Cabinet Office said they had not received complaints from Tokyo’s residents about the videos.
Naoya Sekiya, a professor at the University of Tokyo and a risk communication expert, said the government has modeled different scenarios for volcanic eruptions and earthquakes, but added that this does not mean that the Fuji is about to erupt.
“There is no particular meaning at the time (in which the video is published),” Sekiya said.
Japan is highly vulnerable to natural disasters due to its climate and topography, and is known for its meticulous disaster planning that encompasses earthquakes, typhons, floods, landslides and volcanic eruptions.
Last August, the Japan Meteorological Agency issued its first “Megaterremoto notice” after a powerful earthquake affected the southeast coast of the island of Kyushu, the main south of the country.
Of the approximately 1,500 active volcanoes in the world, 111 are in Japan, which is in the “Fire Ring” of the Pacific.
The Fuji, the highest peak in Japan, used to erupt approximately every 30 years, but has been inactive since the 18th century.