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September 1, 2011. Main roads in Japan blocked in earthquake drill

SOURCE: Altegrity Risk International

Police blocked main roads in Tokyo during rush hour on September 1st to simulate the gridlock that would likely befall the capital city during a major disaster. Japanese communities typically hold earthquake drills every year on September 1st. The March 2011 earthquake and tsunami, however, increased public attention to this year's drills. The drill in Tokyo began at 09:00 local time (00:00GMT) and lasted 10 minutes. Officials wanted to practice how emergency vehicles would travel through crowded streets.