3. One of the Heaviest Rainstorms on Record—Lessons from Aoyama Hospital Flood Damage
On June 2, 2023, Toyokawa City in Aichi Prefecture experienced 423.3 mm of precipitation, the heaviest rainfall on record for a single day. Fortunately, both patients and staff of Aoyama Hospital escaped injury, but the first floor of the hospital flooded. The magnitude of the damage necessitated renovation of the facility.
Hospital Director Yoshiyuki Komori explained the chronology of the flooding as well as how nurses and other staff members collaborated on recovery work to overcome the situation. The hazard map for the area reveals that the hospital is situated in a flood zone.
According to Director Komori, the lessons learned from the experience included acting upon climate and flood information and improving flood countermeasures for medical equipment (such as CT scanners, precision equipment, and supplies), disaster headquarters, and business continuity plans (BCPs).
