Drills for earthquakes scheduled this month

Preparing for the Unexpected: Taiwan's Nationwide Disaster-Preparedness Drills

Taiwan is gearing up for a series of nationwide disaster-preparedness drills ahead of National Disaster Prevention Day on September 21. The drills, organised by the Ministry of the Interior, the Ministry of Transportation and Communications, and the Council of Indigenous Peoples, aim to teach people how to react during natural disasters, ensuring society can continue to function in times of crisis.

The drills will test the readiness of rescue workers in two locations: Sinjhuang Park, New Taipei City, and Yilan County. The latter will simulate a response to a magnitude 8.5 earthquake off the east coast, which is expected to trigger a tsunami affecting the nation's northern and eastern regions.

The annual observance of National Disaster Prevention Day serves as a reminder that preparedness increases safety. Liu Shyh-fang, the Minister of the Interior, emphasises the drills as an opportunity to assess disaster-response capabilities and restore normalcy.

The 921 Earthquake of 1999 marked a turning point for Taiwan in examining its response to natural disasters. Since then, the Central Weather Administration has 736 earthquake detection stations nationwide, equipped with seismometers recording small earthquakes and detecting signs of larger earthquakes. The results of the Taiwan Chelungpu Fault Drilling Project, initiated after the 921 Earthquake, have enabled the development of technologies to detect earthquakes and establish earthquake resistance standards for buildings.

Xavier Chang, the Executive Yuan Secretary-General, stated that the 921 Earthquake of Sept. 21, 1999, was a painful memory for many Taiwanese. He emphasised that disasters, regardless of political affiliations or national borders, require collective action and preparedness.

Liu invites corporations, schools, communities, and government agencies to participate in the drills. National Disaster Prevention Day on Sept. 21 will feature a series of activities to educate people about earthquakes. On the same day at 9:21am, a presidential alert will be issued to simulate a large earthquake.

The leadership for the nationwide disaster protection exercises in connection with the National Disaster Protection Day on September 21 has not been explicitly stated in the search results. However, the drills are intended to serve as a reminder that preparedness is crucial in dealing with natural disasters. As Chang aptly put it, "disasters know no political affiliations or national borders."