TY  - JOUR
PY  - 2020//
TI  - Clinical features of disaster-associated direct deaths during recent inland earthquakes in Japan
JO  - Tohoku journal of experimental medicine
A1  - Naito, Hisaki
A1  - Sueta, Daisuke
A1  - Nakayama, Hideki
A1  - Araki, Eiichi
A1  - Tanihara, Hidenobu
A1  - Kasaoka, Shunji
A1  - Tsujita, Kenichi
SP  - 169
EP  - 173
VL  - 251
IS  - 3
N2  - Natural disasters, including earthquakes, cause disaster-associated direct deaths due to hazards and disaster-related deaths. This study was a retrospective and observational study that explored the effect of natural disasters on direct death. Although research reports on disaster-related deaths are common, there are few reports of disaster-associated direct death caused by events, such as house collapses, fires, and sediment-related factors. The amendment of the Building Standards Law in 1981 has made Japanese building standards more stringent. We sought to examine the determinants of the number of disaster-associated direct deaths during recent inland earthquakes in Japan. Following 2016 Kumamoto earthquakes (April 14, 21:26 [magnitude (M) 6.5], April 15, 0:03 [M 6.4], and April 16, 1:25 [M 7.3] and the subsequent numerous aftershocks), police necropsies confirmed 50 disaster-associated direct deaths (28 women [56%]). Thirty-four victims (68%) were elderly people 65 years of age or older, and 38 victims (76%) died as a result of a collapsed house. These percentages are consistent with those associated with recent inland earthquake disasters in Japan. The main finding was a linear correlation between the number of completely collapsed houses and the number of deaths due to house collapse during recent inland earthquakes in Japan (P = 0.02). It is suggested that the maintenance of houses may be important in reducing the number of disaster-associated direct deaths during inland earthquakes. The amendment of the Building Standards Law might reduce the number of disaster-associated direct deaths during inland earthquakes.<p />  <p>Language: en</p>
LA  - en
SN  - 0040-8727
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/10.1620/tjem.251.169
ID  - ref1
ER  -