Society

New map symbol shows natural disaster monuments

Jun 20 (NHK) - The Geospatial Information Authority of Japan has created a new map symbol that indicates monuments put up in memory of Japan's past natural disasters.

The new symbol, the first in 13 years, debuted on the GSI website on Wednesday. It depicts an elliptical stone monument.

The authority began gathering information about past natural disasters in March this year, after it was inspired by the town of Saka in Hiroshima Prefecture.

Saka was devastated by torrential rains last July. The town had a stone monument describing a flood disaster in 1907 that left 44 people dead. But the tragedy had largely been forgotten by local people.

Users who click the symbol on the GSI map can see what type of disaster is commemorated, a photo of the monument and when it was erected.

The data on the map is based on information from 48 local governments. The authority plans to add new data as soon as it can confirm the information it has obtained.

GSI official Jun Suwabe says he hopes that lessons from the past will contribute to disaster prevention measures and evacuation plans.

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