Four days after the biggest earthquake in Taiwan's history, scientists said that people should be not be overly anxious about another major earthquake in the Chianan Plain (
However, scientists cautioned people should be prepared for aftershocks, especially those who live east of the epicenter, 12.5km west of Sun Moon Lake (日月潭) in Nantou County.
"Is that [Tuesday's tremor] the `big one' scientists expected?" people have been asking since Sept. 21. Based on information gathered in a three-day field investigation, the National Science Council (NSC, 國家科學委員會) provided the answer yesterday.
"Science experts conclude that only a low possibility of another big quake following in southern Taiwan exists," said NSC chairman Huang Chen-tai (黃鎮台).
"Some aftershocks, possibly over six on the Richter scale, are expected. We need to warn people, especially those who live in areas east of the epicenter, to be careful about aftershocks," said Tsai Yi-ben (
Scientists are still working out the precise sequence of events that led to the earthquake.
The epicenter lay between the Chelungpu fault (車籠埔斷層) and the Tamaopu-Shuangtung fault (
To evaluate earthquake disasters, officials from the NSC's National Center for Research on Earthquake Engineering (NCREE,
"By simulating the earthquake, we can know immediately which parts of the island could have been most seriously affected. We have provided the disaster rescue center a list of areas that will most need emergency services," said Loh Chin-hsiung (
Meanwhile, the Central Weather Bureau says there is a rumor spreading across the island that there will be aftershocks of even greater magnitude than Tuesday's jolt. The bureau dismisses this idea, and has posted vital information on its World Wide Web site (http://www.cwb.gov.tw) to explain why the rumor is groundless.
Bureau officials said yesterday that they had recorded more than 5,000 aftershocks since the seismic activity started.
"People don't have to be worried by this rumor, the aftershocks are releasing stored-up energy in a gradual manner," said Hsin Tsai-chin (
More worrying, according to officials at the bureau, is an approaching storm. The bureau cautioned those in disaster areas to prepare for possible heavy rain and low temperatures brought on by Tropical Storm Cam (凱姆颱風), which was southwest of Taiwan yesterday evening. Officials said the temperature during the night in mountain areas in central Taiwan might drop to 10°C or lower.
NEXT GENERATION: The four plants in the Central Taiwan Science Park, designated Fab 25, would consist of four 1.4-nanometer wafer manufacturing plants, TSMC said Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC, 台積電) plans to begin construction of four new plants later this year, with the aim to officially launch production of 2-nanometer semiconductor wafers by late 2028, Central Taiwan Science Park Bureau director-general Hsu Maw-shin (許茂新) said. Hsu made the announcement at an event on Friday evening celebrating the Central Taiwan Science Park’s 22nd anniversary. The second phase of the park’s expansion would commence with the initial construction of water detention ponds and other structures aimed at soil and water conservation, Hsu said. TSMC has officially leased the land, with the Central Taiwan Science Park having handed over the
The Philippines is working behind the scenes to enhance its defensive cooperation with Taiwan, the Washington Post said in a report published on Monday. “It would be hiding from the obvious to say that Taiwan’s security will not affect us,” Philippine Secretary of National Defense Gilbert Teodoro Jr told the paper in an interview on Thursday last week. Although there has been no formal change to the Philippines’ diplomatic stance on recognizing Taiwan, Manila is increasingly concerned about Chinese encroachment in the South China Sea, the report said. The number of Chinese vessels in the seas around the Philippines, as well as Chinese
AUKUS: The Australian Ambassador to the US said his country is working with the Pentagon and he is confident that submarine issues will be resolved Australian Ambassador to the US Kevin Rudd on Friday said that if Taiwan were to fall to China’s occupation, it would unleash China’s military capacities and capabilities more broadly. He also said his country is working with the Pentagon on the US Department of Defense’s review of the AUKUS submarine project and is confident that all issues raised will be resolved. Rudd, who served as Australian prime minister from 2007 to 2010 and for three months in 2013, made the remarks at the Aspen Security Forum in Colorado and stressed the longstanding US-Australia alliance and his close relationship with the US Undersecretary
‘WORLD WAR III’: Republican Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene said the aid would inflame tensions, but her amendment was rejected 421 votes against six The US House of Representatives on Friday passed the Department of Defense Appropriations Act for fiscal 2026, which includes US$500 million for Taiwan. The bill, which totals US$831.5 billion in discretionary spending, passed in a 221-209 vote. According to the bill, the funds for Taiwan would be administered by the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency and would remain available through Sept. 30, 2027, for the Taiwan Security Cooperation Initiative. The legislation authorizes the US Secretary of Defense, with the agreement of the US Secretary of State, to use the funds to assist Taiwan in procuring defense articles and services, and military training. Republican Representative
RSS