The public should prepare survival kits and learn basic earthquake-survival techniques, as earthquake and tsunami risks are ever-present, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said.
Several relatively large earthquakes have occurred in Japan recently, prompting tsunami concerns in Taiwan, the CWA said.
Although Taiwan is not in the direct impact zone for tsunamis triggered by Japanese earthquakes, certain areas — such as the Yilan Plain, estuaries and ports along the eastern coast — should remain vigilant, it said.
Photo: Taipei Times
“Earthquake risks are ever-present, and the public should be prepared by learning earthquake survival techniques, securing furniture, preparing emergency kits and establishing meeting points with family and friends,” it said.
Following a surge in seismic activity around Japan’s Kagoshima Prefecture, experts have issued repeated alerts about the potential for a large earthquake or tsunami.
CWA Seismological Center Director Wu Chien-fu (吳健富) said that the recent quakes near Kagoshima are associated with the Okinawa Trough.
The Philippine Sea Plate subducts beneath the Eurasian Plate, creating an extended series of underwater trenches, he said. From east to west, these include the Ryukyu Trench, the Okinawa Trough and the Nankai Trough, Wu said, adding that the troughs can store significant seismic energy and might produce shallow earthquakes.
“If an earthquake occurs at a depth of less than 35km and reaches magnitude 7 or higher, it has the potential to trigger a tsunami that could affect Taiwan,” he said.
Taiwan is not directly in the path of tsunami waves, he said, adding that elevated sea levels — typically ranging from 10cm to 40cm — might still occur.
Commenting on predictions of a “doomsday earthquake” — such as a manga comic reissued in 2021 that said there would be a major disaster on July 5, 2025 — Wu said that adopting a disaster-preparedness mindset is the best measure.
“This includes securing large household furniture to prevent injuries during quakes and preparing emergency kits stocked with drinking water, dry food, flashlights, batteries and basic medical supplies,” he said.
Wu advised people to familiarize themselves with escape routes and evacuation shelters near their home and workplace, and to agree in advance with family on a rendezvous point in an emergency.
As for tsunami risks, Wu said the CWA would issue alerts three hours before the expected arrival of tsunami waves. Alerts would include a tsunami advisory, a tsunami warning and a national alert, he said.
Coastal regions would also broadcast messages instructing residents to evacuate to higher ground during such a contingency, he said, adding that beachgoers should familiarize themselves with local tsunami evacuation maps to quickly be able to find safe locations in case of a disaster.
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