Activities led by Wakayama University students in the 1953 flood (Kishu Great Flood)

This paper outlines the 7.18 flood disaster (Kishu Great Flood) that occurred in 1953, conveys the activities of Wakayama University students and others in that disaster, and examines their significance. Instances of students engaging in disaster relief activities have been known since pre-war times, such as the settlement activities at the University of Tokyo following the Great Kanto Earthquake. However, these settlement activities gradually dissolved during the war due to various suppressions. After the war, student movements involving political or social activities have been recognized, but this “Disaster Relief Student Alliance” in Showa 28 occurred before the so-called “Anpo” (Anti-Security Treaty) problem of the 1960s. It is considered similar to pre-war settlements, where students engaged voluntarily in relief activities.