Taiwan’s Tech, Building Upgrades Help Blunt Damage From Quake
- Fatalities from seismic event so far fewer than in 2016, 1999
- Island has revised building codes, bettered tech over years
A search and rescue team outside a partially collapsed building in Hualien, Taiwan, on April 3.
Photographer: National Fire Agency/AP PhotoThe technological expertise that turned Taiwan into a semiconductor powerhouse appears to have kept damage and casualties relatively low from its worst quake in a quarter of a century, according to an academic who worked on the island’s disaster response.
The quake measured 7.4 in magnitude and struck the east coast of Taiwan early Wednesday, killing at least seven people and injuring more than 800. The temblor leveled dozens of buildings in Hualien County and shook buildings in Taipei. While the toll may rise — several were reported killed as of Wednesday afternoon — a milder quake that hit in 2016 killed over 100 people, while more than 2,400 people died in a major quake in 1999.