Ofunato city proposed rough design of reconstruction
[From Ofunato city-my stricken home town]
– East Japan Great Earthquake & Tsunami Disaster-
Ofunato Municipal Committee for Deciding Reconstruction Scheme
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The Ofunato Municipal Committee for Deciding Reconstruction Scheme |
Mayor Kimiaki Toda |
The Ofunato Municipal Committee for Deciding Reconstruction Scheme was held on July 7 at the Ofunato Urban in Takkon town. The city proposed the rough scheme for land usage based on present condition of damages in the stricken areas, which shall be used as a springboard for discussion. Although, substitute housing site in the high ground is indicated, large parts of existing housing areas have kept unchanged even in the stricken areas. Main roads along sea coast will be raised up which hold or reduce the power of the tsunami as double embankment. The committee has started in May and is composed of 28 men of learning and experience and industrial organizations. About 50 people, including the mayor Toda and chief staffs from the city hall attended the meeting.
‘We have heard a large number of opinions at round-table conference in each community, in which require prompt practice. We must speed up the reconstruction scheme as soon as possible.’ The mayor addressed at the beginning of the meeting.
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Prof. Yoshimitsu Shiozaki |
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The chairman of the committee |
‘Our scheme is getting closer to actual level of reconstruction through past two meetings.’ Professor Yoshimitsu Shiozaki from the graduate school of Kobe University expressed as the committee chairman.
Distinguished reconstruction design scheme in each community was proposed from the secretariat in the meeting. It was a proposed rough scheme of land usage on precondition that reconstruction of the breakwater at the entrance of Ofunato bay and tide embankments along the sea are done. The city expects that the rough scheme will be used as a basis for taking action in actual reconstruction.
Classified areas of rough design scheme for reconstruction.
Each zone, such as tsunami danger zone, housing zone, substitute housing zone for transfer, and industrial zone are indicated in different colors. Although, the city has proposed as ‘reconstruction of towns for no lost lives and no damages on houses from tsunami’, housing areas on the scheme has still been included in the stricken areas, such as places of JR Ofunato Station area, Ohta-danchi area in Massaki, and Urahama community in Sanriku. However, it is written clearly that roads shall be raised up in addition to reconstruction of embankment in the above areas. Seaside roads, such as the main local route Ofunato-Ryori-Sanriku, the prefectural road Marumori-Gongendo, the municipal road Takashimizu-Tsurumaki along Kadonohama seaside in Massaki, and the prefectural road Sakihama Port Line are expected to be raised up. These roads raised the ground level are expected to hold or reduce the power of tsunami as one of double embankments if it attacked over the reconstructed embankments. These raised roads are also expected to maintain good access between towns even after the tsunami.
However, a certain areas are still designated as ‘tsunami danger zone’, such as the southern part of Ofunato town below the JR Ofunato Railway Line and Tomari community in Massaki town. The rough scheme indicated the substitute housing areas in the higher ground than the existing city areas and requires evacuation routes to the mountain side. Of course, it is still proposal from the committee, but the basic idea of ‘transfer to the high ground’ which the mayor has insisted, is applied partially.
‘At first, we did not have ideas such as ‘double embankments’ and ‘rising up of main routes along the seaside’. Based on recent state measures, we presented the rough scheme as a basis for discussion at the meeting.’ The mayor takes the matter from a different angle. On the other hand, there are still many unspecified matters such as, how many meters the seaside roads shall be raised and exact specifications for designating of ‘tsunami danger zone’ and so on.
The city will bring the reconstruction design scheme to the conclusion by the end of July through discussion at workshops in every communities based on the rough proposal.
＜Reference＞
http://www.tohkaishimpo.com/
View Ofunato Urban in a larger map
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