OBJECTIVE: As disasters intensify alongside population aging, Japan has introduced welfare evacuation shelters for individuals requiring care. Following the 2024 Noto Peninsula Earthquake, Umyu-dosora was designated as one such shelter; however, data on its actual use remain limited. This study aimed to assess demand for welfare evacuation shelters by examining temporal trends in resident numbers after the disaster. METHODS: Data on evacuees' admission and discharge dates at Umyu-dosora were extracted from a cloud-based Kintone database, covering January-March 2024. Records with missing admission or discharge dates were excluded. RESULTS: Among the 83 evacuees with identifiable records, the most common age group for both sexes was 70-79 years. Age or sex data were unavailable for 22 individuals. The shelter began operating on January 8, 2024. Resident numbers peaked at over 40 in late January, stabilized at approximately 30 throughout February, and gradually declined by late March. The facility continued to accommodate some evacuees even after assuming its original function as a group home for individuals with mental illness. CONCLUSIONS: The high demand for evacuation support for individuals requiring long-term care during the first month after the Noto Peninsula Earthquake underscores the need for the planned establishment of welfare shelters.
Kosaka et al. (Thu,) studied this question.