Despite being hit with a 7.4 magnitude earthquake during rush hour on April 3rd, 2024, Taiwan has emerged largely unscathed. Why is that?

On April 3rd, 2024, the strongest earthquake in about 25 years rocked the streets in and around Hualien on the east coast of Taiwan, followed by hundreds of aftershocks. While the search for survivors remains underway, so far 13 people have been found dead, and nearly 1,000 people have reported injuries. While any number of deaths and injuries is tragic, these figures are minuscule compared to the near 2,500 dead and 100,000 injured during the 7.7 magnitude earthquake that struck in 1999 and left approximately 50,000 homes destroyed.

Considering its location along the Ring of Fire and the presence of three seismic belts in the country, Taiwan has a long history of earth-shaking events. The Ring of Fire refers to a fault line around the Pacific Ocean that is home to a majority of the world’s earthquakes. Because of this, Taiwan records an average of about 2,200 earthquakes every year, with a record of nearly 50,000 during 1999. Taiwan’s mountains then amplify the impact of earthquakes, which resulted in the landslides that accounted for most of the deaths on April 3rd.

Because of this susceptibility and catastrophic earthquakes in the past, Taiwan has developed some of the best earthquake preparedness techniques in the world. Following the devastating Chi-Chi earthquake in 1999, the Taiwanese government began reforming construction regulations. This included seismic retrofitting in buildings and infrastructure across the country and the prosecution of inadequate construction practices. Years of experience have also resulted in efficient emergency response, aided by surveillance cameras and social media used to identify locations requiring aid. 

Educating the public has been another initiative to prevent deaths during earthquakes and aftershocks. In addition to public awareness campaigns, the Central Weather Administration frequently publishes resources including information and tips surrounding earthquake preparedness. The Central Weather Administration has also run a real-time seismic network since 1994, which tracks data and notifies the public of seismic activity through an early warning system. The data collected by the seismic network is also used to update building codes.

GET INVOLVED

Ways for people to support Taiwan’s emergency response and earthquake preparedness include donating to and supporting organizations such as the Red Cross, Taiwan Root Medical Peace Corps and Peace Winds America.