Taiwan rocked by 7.7 magnitude earthquake, buildings tilted and collapsed

mu4c_20le

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Taiwan’s strongest earthquake in 25 years has killed four and injured at least 50, causing building collapses, power outages and landslides on the island, and sparking initial tsunami warnings in southern Japan and the Philippines.

The quake, given a magnitude of 7.7 by Japan’s meteorological agency, struck close to the popular tourist city of Hualien, on Taiwan’s eastern coast, damaging buildings and trapping people amid aftershocks following the quake, which started at 7.58am.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2...quake-magnitude-tsunami-warning-japan-okinawa
 

RedDevilQuebecois

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This is the stuff of nightmares when you're on a bridge while the earthquake is happening. :eek:


And yet you really have to applaud how very calm the Taiwanese are.
 

RedDevilQuebecois

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Jeffrey J. Hall is a lecturer at Kanda University of International Studies and he's one of the best sources out there to report Japanese-based news in English.

In this case, he mentions Japanese TV reporters praising the high quality of Taiwanese earthquake evacuation shelters - tents, beds, and privacy. The Japanese government was heavily criticized for its lack of coordination between themselves and NGOs, which explains the poor preparedness whenever an earthquake strikes Japan.




Not only Japan, but I say a large number of countries could learn from Taiwan about how to coordinate government and NGO response after such a natural disaster.
 

mariachi-19

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Im in and around Hualien this time next month. Messaged my air bnb hosts and they said that aside from some minor damage to household items, properties are generally fine.

quite remarkable how things are built these days.
 

TwoSheds

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RedDevilQuebecois said:
This is the stuff of nightmares when you're on a bridge while the earthquake is happening. :eek:


And yet you really have to applaud how very calm the Taiwanese are.
Click to expand...
Probably about the safest place you could be tbh. Will be built to resist a very strong earthquake with a good safety factor I should think and there's not much overhead to fall on you, probably no gas to start a fire...
 

limerickcitykid

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mariachi-19 said:
Im in and around Hualien this time next month. Messaged my air bnb hosts and they said that aside from some minor damage to household items, properties are generally fine.

quite remarkable how things are built these days.
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I’m going to Hualien this time next month too funnily enough.

A little nerve racking as someone from a place with no real natural disasters but the Mrs is unfazed. They have earthquakes like every week and see it as a normal part of life basically. Since the big 1999 one they’ve upped their construction standards a lot so they are able to deal with them very well, apart from some older buildings.

They weren’t worried though and have only said to avoid the mountain roads to Hualien, said to take the train there and not drive. Or if possible even fly. I believe all the deaths were related to people being hit by falling rocks on the roads/trails.
 

mariachi-19

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limerickcitykid said:
I’m going to Hualien this time next month too funnily enough.

A little nerve racking as someone from a place with no real natural disasters but the Mrs is unfazed. They have earthquakes like every week and see it as a normal part of life basically. Since the big 1999 one they’ve upped their construction standards a lot so they are able to deal with them very well, apart from some older buildings.

They weren’t worried though and have only said to avoid the mountain roads to Hualien, said to take the train there and not drive. Or if possible even fly. I believe all the deaths were related to people being hit by falling rocks on the roads/trails.
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Im coming from the south via car so won’t have much opportunity unless I go back south. My colleague who is from Southern Italy pretty much said that there’s not much worry about now. It’s now highly un likely to have another anytime soon.

Im doing a walk in Taroko gorge. It was actually interesting where the deaths occurred because you would assume that they would happen in the far more dangerous areas… that one was near the park entrance.
 
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