Tsunami evacuation: Lessons from the Great East Japan earthquake ...

2012
Damage was limited to glazing and very minor cladding damage on the government building.
Damage to glazing and non-structural RC-infill panels was common at the apartment block,
which was inundated to the 3 rd storey, while debris impact had damaged a steel-frame
vehicle parking elevator (EEFIT, 2011). People were trapped in this building until March 12 th
due to silt blocking the stairwells (EEFIT, 2011). The owner of the Hotel Horaikan at
Unosumai directed guests to high ground behind the hotel, rather than staying in the
building. The hotel suffered non-structural damage at the ground floor only, and at the time
of our visit the hotel was being refurbished internally.
There were plans for further tsunami evacuation buildings and towers close to the Kamaishi
Port, but these had not yet been constructed.
Figure 34 Designated evacuation locations in Kamaishi City. An estimated 50 people evacuated to
this apartment block (A) and government offices (B). The entire area shown was inundated;
inundation depth was 8 m in the vicinity of building (A).
Figure 35 Apartment block in Kamaishi City, which was inundated to the 3 rd storey
Figure 36 Government offices in Kamaishi City. This building is raised several metres above sea
level and sustained damage to only the 1 st storey windows
GNS Science Report 2012/17 39