Ever since a major earthquake struck Kumamoto Prefecture, we often see white, round tent-looking houses in the affected are. These houses are called Instant Houses in Japanese because it takes only a few hours to built.
People in the disaster stricken area have been living under extremely inconvenient, stressful conditions after losing electricity, their homes, family members, and so much more. It's been 38 ℃ (100°F) every day, and many people have to live without air-conditioners. Even though, they have survived, they've been facing the risk of heatstroke.
An engineering professor in Nagoya Prefecture invented the house as an emergency shelter, which contains insulation material to keep inside cool or warm. Its diameter is five meters and four meters high. Around ten people can sleep at the same time. Compared with conventional evacuation shelters, the Instant Houses offer much more privacy. They're available to set an air-conditioner inside as well. They're also strong enough to manage a magnitude-6-class.
When the Noto peninsular was struck by a major earthquake, the professor sent 300 Instant Houses in the affected area. This time, he's already sent 100.
I think this invention is awesome! I truly hope these houses will help evacuees stay safe and comfortable until they can return to their normal lives.
You can see the house here.
