While Taiwan was absorbed with Christmas festivities, an earthquake measuring 9.0 struck off the west coast of Sumatra. The quake generated tsunamis that led to thousands of deaths and injuries. We who have experienced the 921 Earthquake feel undefinable shock at hearing news of another powerful earthquake and the effect of the tsunamis. We hope that Indonesia, Thailand, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Malaysia will soon recover from the tragic loss of life caused by the earthquake and tsunamis.
In the face of this disaster, we should take special note of the effect of tsunamis. Tsunamis are caused by a large-scale displacement of the sea floor, usually following large earthquakes, major submarine slides or volcanic explosions. When a tsunami hits coastal areas, it causes massive damage to the earth's surface.
Tsunamis often happen when the epicenter of an earthquake is less than 50km deep, so that the massive submarine movement in the earth's crust generates huge pressure on the ocean, which is transmitted outward in a wave. Few countries in South Asia escaped the effects of this tsunami, an indication of the force generated by this earthquake.
When the tsunami reaches coastal shallows, it can rise to 30m in height, and the force with which it hits the coast is enormous. The tsunami that hit northern Papua New Guinea in July 17, 1998, left over 8,000 people dead or missing, completely obliterating a coastal village.
Taiwanese are not too concerned about tsunamis for they have little experience of their effects. But according to historical records, there are six instances of such phenomena occurring here. In April and May of 1781, the chapter on unusual phenomena in the Miscellany section of the Records of Taiwan County, with support from two other texts, records an instance that took place in the Chiatung region near Pingtung. The record tells of a day of extraordinarily good weather when the ocean suddenly roared like thunder and, in a rush that seemed to suck the air away, a wave 30m high rose up, inundating nearby villages.
The Records of Taiwan County also list a similar incident that affected the Luermen area near Tainan.
The most recent of such incidents took place on Dec. 18, 1867, off Keelung. The record tells of coastal mountains tilting, the earth splitting open and the whole island shaking. Many houses collapsed in Keelung and hundreds of people died. The water drained out of Keelung harbor so that the sea bed was revealed, then suddenly returned in a huge wave. Boats were washed into the city center and there was much damage. In many locations the ground and the mountains split open and water poured from the fissures.
This last incident was most likely a tsunami and is a strong indication that tsunamis have originated off Taiwan's coast.
We must therefore realize the potential threat tsunamis pose to Taiwan. This is especially so off the eastern coast, where there is a small but significant population. We should take this opportunity to learn how to minimize the destruction caused and ways of dealing with it should it occur.
What I suggest is that the government departments involved in urban planning, coastal engineering and public works should incorporate the potential devastation of a tsunami into their considerations. Disaster prevention and rescue facilities established by the public and private sectors should avoid areas which tsunamis might hit in order to reduce the level of damage.
In addition to offering sympathy to countries suffering because of this earthquake, we must also learn from it to prevent the same thing from happening to us.
Lin Jun Chuan is a professor of geography at National Taiwan University.
Translated by Ian Bartholomew
US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) were born under the sign of Gemini. Geminis are known for their intelligence, creativity, adaptability and flexibility. It is unlikely, then, that the trade conflict between the US and China would escalate into a catastrophic collision. It is more probable that both sides would seek a way to de-escalate, paving the way for a Trump-Xi summit that allows the global economy some breathing room. Practically speaking, China and the US have vulnerabilities, and a prolonged trade war would be damaging for both. In the US, the electoral system means that public opinion
They did it again. For the whole world to see: an image of a Taiwan flag crushed by an industrial press, and the horrifying warning that “it’s closer than you think.” All with the seal of authenticity that only a reputable international media outlet can give. The Economist turned what looks like a pastiche of a poster for a grim horror movie into a truth everyone can digest, accept, and use to support exactly the opinion China wants you to have: It is over and done, Taiwan is doomed. Four years after inaccurately naming Taiwan the most dangerous place on
Wherever one looks, the United States is ceding ground to China. From foreign aid to foreign trade, and from reorganizations to organizational guidance, the Trump administration has embarked on a stunning effort to hobble itself in grappling with what his own secretary of state calls “the most potent and dangerous near-peer adversary this nation has ever confronted.” The problems start at the Department of State. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has asserted that “it’s not normal for the world to simply have a unipolar power” and that the world has returned to multipolarity, with “multi-great powers in different parts of the
President William Lai (賴清德) recently attended an event in Taipei marking the end of World War II in Europe, emphasizing in his speech: “Using force to invade another country is an unjust act and will ultimately fail.” In just a few words, he captured the core values of the postwar international order and reminded us again: History is not just for reflection, but serves as a warning for the present. From a broad historical perspective, his statement carries weight. For centuries, international relations operated under the law of the jungle — where the strong dominated and the weak were constrained. That
RSS