Dec 26 2018

Niigata University's Research Institute for Natural Hazards & Disaster Recovery and the Niigata Local Meteorological Office concluded an agreement on April 18, 2018 concerning information exchange on the prevention and reduction of natural disasters and concerning cooperation related to mutual disaster prevention.

A symposium with the theme of "Measures for Heavy Snow and Improving Snow Predictions Based on Latest Studies" was held to commemorate this collaborative agreement at Toki-mate, the Ekinan Campus, on Wednesday, December 5. About 60 people from universities, research institutes and private enterprises inside and outside of Niigata Prefecture attended the symposium.

At the symposium, the lectures were delivered by five people from the Research Institute for Natural Hazards & Disaster Recovery, Niigata Local Meteorological Office, Fukui Local Meteorological Office, Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism Hokuriku Regional Development Bureau and National Research Institute for Earth Science and Disaster Resilience, reflecting on last winter's heavy snow disaster. In addition to identifying the points to improve in weather forecasts and disaster response, they introduced new initiatives and research as countermeasures to snow damage based on the extremely heavy snows in recent years. The participants had many questions, and opinions were exchanged concerning preparation for this coming winter and required disaster prevention information.

The Research Institute for Natural Hazards & Disaster Recovery, collaborating with the Niigata Local Meteorological Office, continues contributing to establish a resilient society with high adaptability to disasters as well as elucidating the mechanisms of natural disasters that are intensifying changes.

The symposium

Director Isobe of the Fukui Local Meteorological Office, lecturing