The 2019 Typhoon Hagibis (Typhoon No. 19) caused extensive infrastructure damage, with 59 people killed in Iwate, Miyagi, and Fukushima Prefectures. IRIDeS and the Tohoku branches of the Japan Organization of Civil Engineers, the Japanese Geotechnical Society, and the Japan Landslide Society have been working together in order to examine the actual damages caused by the typhoon. On November 20, 2020, the final debriefing meeting on the typhoon disaster was held online.

During the meeting, findings from Iwate, Miyagi, and Fukushima Prefectures were presented from the perspectives of river flooding, landslides, geo-disasters, and disaster response. Presenters exchanged opinions on future DRR, while also considering questions from participants.

Director Fumihiko Imamura gave a presentation on IRIDeS researchers’ surveys and support activities for disaster-affected local governments—including Marumori Town. In the discussion, he said “One of the keys to prevent the spread of disaster damage should be to avoid a chain of disasters. Focusing on protecting critical facilities would lead to quick recovery.” Assoc. Prof. Shuji Moriguchi, representing the Tohoku branch of the Geotechnical Society, reported on the ground disasters and landslides that occurred in Fukushima and Miyagi Prefectures. He pointed out that the database is still insufficient and that particular information below the ground’s surface needs to be improved for a highly accurate landslide simulation.

Several presenters, including Prof. Hitoshi Tanaka (the head of the joint research team), pointed out that the severity of disasters is becoming more intense as of late. They also stressed the need to work together with local governments, citizens, and other stakeholders, because DRR cannot be achieved by science and technology alone. The debriefing meeting was attended by 134 people; not only from the three prefectures of Tohoku but also from distant areas, such as the Tokyo metropolitan area and Kyushu.