More than a quarter of the hospitals designated as special disaster facilities may not be able to accept patients if heavy rain inundates nearby streets, as they have no alternative means of access, according to a new government study.
Of the 676 facilities designated as disaster hospitals as of April last year, 398, or 58.9 percent, said the roads surrounding them could be flooded due to heavy rainfall or tsunami. Of these, 179 facilities, or 26.5 percent of the total, said they have no substitute access.
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