How Taiwan learned from the past to reduce the risk from earthquakes

Hualien, Taiwan – When Wen Tsung-hao felt a 7.2 magnitude earthquake off Taiwan’s east coast a week ago, he was immediately worried. “The shaking is very strong and lasts a long time,” he said.

As head of the Hualien City Fire Department, his instincts soon took over. “I immediately started rescue efforts with my team,” he said. “We heard that this earthquake could cause a lot of damage.” But a week after the biggest earthquake in 25 years, most of the island appeared unscathed.

Even in eastern Hualien City, just a few kilometers from the main centre, life has returned to normal. Restaurants are opening, children are playing in the streets, and the city’s night markets are coming to life again. Although the population of the city is over 300,000, the number of deaths in the earthquake was 13 people and more than 1,160 people were injured. These numbers are a far cry from the last time the island was hit by a major earthquake.

In 1999, more than 2,400 people were killed and more than 11,000 injured when the island was shaken by an earthquake of a similar magnitude, known as the Chi-Chi quake.

“They keep shouting ‘Help’, ‘Help’. You just listen to where the voice is coming from and try to get the person out. We don’t have anything else,” he said. Do the math But 25 years ago Taiwan learned from the past. Wang Yu, an assistant professor in the Department of Geology at National Taiwan University, explained that the Chi-Chi earthquake is one of Taiwan’s earthquake mitigation strategies.

“We learned many lessons, including improving building codes, understanding earthquake signs, developing and implementing earthquake early warning (EEW) systems, and earthquake-related education,” Wang said.

An array of new sensors and 200 monitoring points across the island now allow authorities to create “shake maps” that provide almost instantaneous analysis of seismic movements.

Ng Yi Min, a professor at Nanyang Technological University’s Institute of Earth Sciences, explained that the maps were crucial in helping rescue teams focus their efforts on the area where the most serious damage occurred.

The precise measurements produced by can also be used to quickly locate an earthquake, enabling the EEW system to trigger a high-risk mobile alert to people in the area. Second after the earthquake was detected on Wednesday morning, Taiwan’s Central Weather Agency (CWA) issued an alert giving residents of affected cities time to find shelter.

The bureau announced it would re-evaluate its alert algorithm following complaints that some people in less-affected cities such as Taipei were not receiving alerts when they needed to leave.

In addition to the warnings, comprehensive public education campaigns and annual earthquake drills planned for the anniversary of the Chi-Chi earthquake are also preparing Taiwanese people for the worst-case scenario.

“Since we were young, our teachers and parents used to tell us that Hualien was a place where earthquakes occur.” Hualien Mayor Wei Jiayan said: This means that most people know what to do when an earthquake occurs. The mayor added: “You must protect yourself, make sure your head is safe, you will escape as soon as the earthquake is over.”

Although one person was killed when a building collapsed in central Hualien, changes to Taiwan’s building codes also played a key role in limiting damage to surrounding buildings and the explosive status remains low. The number of buildings in Taiwan with damping equipment used to limit ground vibrations during earthquakes will increase between 2009 and 2022.

Taiwan’s iconic Taipei 101, one of the world’s tallest buildings, features a large designed “damping ball”. To prevent the house from shaking during an earthquake.

After the Chi-Chi earthquake, the Taiwanese government also identified areas with a higher earthquake risk due to their proximity to fault lines and required the construction of new buildings in accordance with the regulations to ensure safety in these areas. “The buildings built after the Chiji earthquake are stronger than before,” Wu said.

The rescue work for Wen firefighters was different from the situation in the Jiji earthquake. “We do not have a search and rescue team,” said Mr. Recalling the rescue efforts in the 1999 earthquake, Wen said: “We can only rely on the strength of the firefighters in the field.”

Wen now leads a team of experts using technologies such as thermal measurement, life detection with seismic sensors, life support and disaster recovery equipment. He explained that there are special search and rescue teams in cities and towns in Taiwan, such as Hualien, and that the members of these teams are trained in earthquake rescue techniques.

“When we arrived on scene we knew how to use resources and rescue operations.” However, while Taiwan’s defense against the earthquake was included in their plans, luck also played a role.

The earthquake occurred predominantly in the eastern part of the island, where the population is less dense and buildings are less prone to accidents. Wang explained that small earthquakes in previous years weakened buildings that may have been completely destroyed in last week’s earthquake.

Also, there was an earthquake in Taiwan before a big festival. “If this happens one day, people will return to their families or go to national parks,” Wang said, adding that “there will be more injuries.” Although adequate preparation and luck keeps the death toll low, it’s still a problem.

The earthquake’s location near Taiwan’s east coast caused a massive earthquake that disrupted lifesaving activities for tourists still in Taroko National Park in the Hualien Mountains. “It seems that the entire Mount Taroko collapsed, causing a large number of people on the mountain.

This is very different and more difficult than the search and rescue mission in the city.” Fireman Wen said. “We face almost constant aftershocks after the main shock, and we are still afraid when we enter the valley.”

Despite this, rescue efforts continue.

“In your heart, you just hope that you can find the people as soon as possible, that the dead can rest in peace, the injured can recover quickly and that those that live on can grow stronger,” Wen said.