In the event that Mount Fuji erupts and causes the Tokyo metropolitan area to be covered with volcanic ash, residents are advised to stay home to prevent panic, according to new guidelines released by the government’s expert panel on Friday.
The guidelines state that those who reside in wooden houses, or those near such buildings, should evacuate only if the ashfall exceeds 30 centimeters due to the risk that such structures may collapse under the combined weight of the ash and any possible rainfall.
The guidelines were compiled by a panel of experts based on instructions from the Cabinet Office last year to examine the possible wide-scale effects of an eruption of Mount Fuji and its subsequent ashfall in the Tokyo metropolitan area, and prepare countermeasures against it.
With your current subscription plan you can comment on stories. However, before writing your first comment, please create a display name in the Profile section of your subscriber account page.