taipei, taiwan —

Taiwan was hit by its strongest earthquake in a quarter of a century on Wednesday. At least nine people died, hundreds were injured, buildings and highways were damaged, and dozens of quarry workers were trapped.

Taiwan is no stranger to strong earthquakes, but thanks to its excellent earthquake preparedness, the damage to the high-tech island’s 23 million residents has been relatively minor, experts say.

The following is a detailed introduction to Taiwan’s earthquake history:

Why are there so many earthquakes?

Taiwan is located along the Pacific “Ring of Fire,” the seismic fault lines that circle the Pacific Ocean where most of the world’s earthquakes occur.

The region is particularly vulnerable to earthquakes due to the tension accumulated from the interaction of two plates: the Philippine Sea Plate and the Eurasian Plate, which can lead to a sudden release of earthquakes.

The area’s mountainous landscape can intensify ground shaking, leading to landslides. Several such landslides occurred along Taiwan’s east coast near eastern Hualien County, the epicenter of Wednesday’s earthquake, with falling debris hitting tunnels and highways, crushing vehicles and killing several people.

How prepared is Taiwan?

The magnitude of Wednesday’s quake was 7.2, according to Taiwan’s earthquake monitoring agency, while the U.S. Geological Survey put the magnitude at 7.4. Several buildings were damaged in Hualien, but the quake was felt strongly in the capital Taipei but caused only minor damage.

The earthquake occurred during the morning rush hour but only slightly affected normal commuting. Minutes later, parents were sending their children to school and workers were driving to their offices.

“Taiwan’s earthquake preparedness is one of the most advanced in the world,” said Stephen Gao, a seismologist and professor at Missouri University of Science and Technology. “The island has implemented strict building codes, a world-class seismic network and an extensive public education campaign on earthquake safety.”

The government continues to revise seismic rating requirements for new and existing buildings (which can increase construction costs) and offers subsidies to residents willing to check the seismic performance of their buildings.

After the 2016 Tainan earthquake, five people involved in the construction of a 17-story high-rise apartment building in Tainan, on the island’s southwest coast, were found guilty of negligence and jailed. Major buildings collapsed, killing dozens. sentence.

Taiwan also conducts earthquake drills in schools and workplaces, and public media and mobile phones regularly issue announcements about earthquakes and safety.

“These measures significantly enhance Taiwan’s earthquake resistance and help reduce the possibility of catastrophic damage and casualties,” Gao said.

The wake-up call of 1999

According to the U.S. Geological Survey, since 1980, approximately 2,000 earthquakes of magnitude 4.0 or above have occurred in Taiwan and its surrounding waters, including more than 100 earthquakes of magnitude 5.5 or above.

On September 21, 1999, the island experienced its most serious earthquake in recent years, with a magnitude of 7.7. It killed 2,400 people, injured about 100,000, and destroyed thousands of buildings.

It was also a major wake-up call that led to key administrative reforms aimed at improving emergency response and disaster mitigation, said Daniel Aldrich, a professor of political science and public policy at Northeastern University.

He wrote in an email: “Observers have strongly criticized Taiwan’s response to the September 21, 1999 earthquake, citing the hours it took emergency medical response teams to arrive, the lack of training for rescue workers and the lack of coordination between government agencies. Actions were not well coordinated.” As a result, the government passed the Disaster Prevention and Protection Act and established two national centers to handle earthquake coordination and training.

“I think we are seeing the results of this latest shock,” he said.