市町村長は、当該市町村の地域に係る災害が発生した場合において、当該災害の被災者から申請があつたときは、遅滞なく、住家の被害その他当該市町村長が定める種類の被害の状況を調査し、当該災害による被害の程度を証明する書面(第四項において「罹災証明書」という。)を交付しなければならない。
In cases where a disaster involving an area of a municipality has occurred, when an application has been made by the victims of the disaster, the mayor of the municipality must investigate without delay the condition of the damage to houses and other damage of the kinds which the mayor specifies, and issue a document certifying the degree of damage caused by the disaster (referred to as "disaster victim certificate" in paragraph (4)).