Lifesavers and staff conducted a tsunami evacuation drill this week at the Enoshima area in Fujisawa, Kanagawa Prefecture [1].

The exercise arrives as beaches open for the season, ensuring that both staff and tourists can evacuate quickly during a sudden disaster. Because the Enoshima area attracts large crowds of swimmers and surfers, coordinated communication is essential to prevent casualties during a coastal surge.

The drill, organized by the Enoshima Beach Bathing Association, simulated an earthquake with a seismic intensity of six [1, 3]. Approximately 100 lifesavers and beach hut staff participated in the event [2].

To signal the danger, officials deployed tsunami flags featuring a red-and-white checkered pattern [3]. These flags are used to call for the immediate evacuation of beachgoers and surfers from the shoreline. Staff practiced directing crowds away from the water to higher ground, a critical step in reducing panic during real-time emergencies.

Yoshitada Kurihara, chairman of the Enoshima Beach Bathing Association, emphasized the priority of tourist safety. "We want to make it our primary goal to safely evacuate the beachgoers who come to the sea," Kurihara said. He also urged the public to follow the directions of the lifesavers who protect the safety and security of the sea on the front lines [1].

While some reports described the event as a general water-accident drill [2], the primary focus remained on the specific protocols for tsunami response and the use of visual signaling devices to manage large groups of people in a high-risk coastal zone [1, 3].

“Approximately 100 lifesavers and beach hut staff participated in the event.”

The use of standardized visual signals like the red-and-white checkered flag is a critical component of Japan's disaster mitigation strategy in high-traffic tourist zones. By simulating a seismic intensity of 6 during the peak opening of the beach season, local authorities are testing the ability of a limited number of staff to manage potentially thousands of visitors who may not be familiar with local evacuation routes.