Japan to make lifeboat for tsunami

Japan has initiated a project to develop a lifeboat which is able to float on rising tsunami waves as one of the evacuation measures, a media report said.

The project is initiated by Shikoku Region Transport Bureau. The south coast line Shikoku island is directly facing the Pacific Ocean, reported Xinhua.

The planned lifeboat will be about five metres long and would be made of fibre-glass reinforced plastic. It will be set at public buildings in the coastal areas, such as schools and hospitals and accommodate 20 to 50 people in case of a tsunami.

The bureau released details of the project Wednesday, saying the lifeboat would be developed based on the type of life boat currently carried on large passenger ships.

“We like to make such a boat that evacuees are able stay on board at least for a couple of days with essentials such as foods or blankets, and a toilet to survive in the event of disaster,” an official of the bureau said.

“The prototype of the boat will be on display by the end of this year,” he added.

A massive earthquake hit Japan and triggered a powerful tsunami last March, leaving more than 15,000 people dead and thousands more injured or missing.