A day after a major earthquake struck Hualien City in eastern Taiwan, rubble surrounds the building in question. Nine people were killed and more than 900 injured, but experts say the island has not experienced the same level of destruction as other islands from similar earthquakes. AP
Images of collapsed buildings – along with videos of leaning high-rise structures – flooded news channels and the internet on Wednesday (April 3) after a powerful 7.4 magnitude earthquake struck Taiwan. It was the most powerful earthquake in a quarter century, killing nine people and injuring hundreds.
In fact, the next day (April 4), authorities continued search and rescue operations to dig out survivors from beneath collapsed buildings.
But seismology experts said the island suffered as expected given the size of the quake (magnitude 7.4 on the Richter scale), some on the scale of damage caused by similar earthquakes on other islands. Some people point out that they have not experienced the destruction of earthquake. For example, Turkey experienced three major earthquakes with magnitudes of 7.8, 7.5 and 6.4 last February, killing more than 50,000 people.
But how did Taiwan achieve this? How well equipped is Taiwan to deal with earthquakes?
Buildings tilted and bridges swayed
A massive earthquake struck Taiwan on Wednesday, rekindling memories of 1999, when the island witnessed its strongest and most devastating earthquake. Taiwanese authorities say at least nine people have died so far and expect the death toll to rise in the coming days. Additionally, more than 900 people were injured in the earthquake.
The quake struck east of Hualien City at 7:58 a.m. local time and had a magnitude of 7.4, making it the strongest earthquake since 1999, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. It was approximately 35 kilometers (22 miles) deep. , is considered shallow.
This was followed by a dramatic visual display of the damage caused by the earthquake. Buildings tilt sideways, bridges shake, and people scramble to evacuate.
One video from X showed people stuck on a bridge as it appeared to shake from the effects of a major earthquake.according to AFPhigh-rise buildings in Hualien and other cities tilted after the earthquake, and warehouses in New Taipei City were reduced to dust.
TSMC, the world’s leading manufacturer of cutting-edge microchips, temporarily evacuated its production lines after the earthquake. However, the company resumed operations on Thursday.
Rescue operations continue after the strong earthquake, with reports saying more than 100 people are still believed to be trapped in collapsed tunnels and roads along the coastline. Efforts to rescue 77 people trapped in the Jinwen and Qingshui tunnels along Hualien City’s roads continued into the early hours of Thursday.
There are also reports that two Indian nationals are among those missing after the earthquake. According to media reports, the missing Indian national was last seen in Taroko Gorge near Hualien County.
Building Standards Law
Experts say Taiwan coped with the powerful earthquake in the best possible way, said Stephen Gao, a seismologist and professor at the Missouri Institute of Technology. AP: “Taiwan’s earthquake countermeasures are the most advanced in the world.”
But this is no fluke. The island works hard to ensure its buildings comply with the latest seismic standards. Remarkably, this island significantly upgraded much of its infrastructure after her 1999 earthquake.
In fact, analysis of footage coming out of Taiwan shows that while most of the damage was to older buildings of 5 to 10 stories, newer buildings with higher levels of technology appeared to be functioning admirably. It was shown that
Infrastructure experts also noted that new buildings in Taiwan appear to be constructed of reinforced concrete. Konstantinos Tsavdalidis, professor of structural engineering at City, University of London, said: The National These buildings typically use a lot of concrete, very dense columns, and most importantly, have rubber bearings. Rubber bearings absorb much of the forces experienced by buildings during earthquakes, protecting the main structure.
Taiwan’s tallest building, Taipei 101, withstood the earthquake, with experts pointing to a 660 metric ton “tuned mass damper” suspended inside the building that saved it from collapsing. Experts say that as the building moves in one direction, the steel balls swing in the opposite direction, maintaining the overall balance of the building.
Experts also pointed to compliance with building codes as one of the reasons why the island suffered less damage than expected. The government constantly reviews the earthquake resistance of buildings to ensure earthquake resistance.
And in Taiwan, those who do not comply with building standards are severely punished. After a major earthquake in Tainan in 2016, five people working on the construction of a 17-story high-rise apartment building, the only major structure on the island’s southwest coast, collapsed, killing dozens and claiming negligence. He was convicted of the crime and sentenced to prison. According to the sentence, AP report.
Taiwan’s early warning system
Apart from buildings, Taiwan’s early warning system and public actions helped minimize destruction.
What you may not know is that Taiwan relies on an island-wide network of seismometers. When a major earthquake occurs, the system sends messages to people’s mobile phones and automatically interrupts live TV programs to give residents a few seconds of warning.
Wu Yiming, professor of geosciences at National Taiwan University and team leader of the National Disaster Prevention Science and Technology Center, said: bloomberg Over the past three to five years, the disaster response system developed by the agency has become more sophisticated and addresses critical needs in one of the world’s most seismically active regions.
Public reaction is equally important. People in Taiwan regularly conduct earthquake drills in schools and workplaces. As a result, just minutes after the earthquake struck, parents could be seen taking their children to school and employees heading to work.
As Stephen Gao is quoted as saying, AP: “These very measures are helping to significantly strengthen Taiwan’s resilience to earthquakes and reduce the potential for catastrophic damage and loss of life.”
Based on opinions from agents
