Taiwan’s earthquake preparedness saved a lot of lives — and prevented a catastrophe for the global tech economy
Posted: Sat Apr 06, 2024 5:35 am
Taiwan’s earthquake preparedness saved a lot of lives — and prevented a catastrophe for the global tech economy
Read more here:
https://www.vox.com/technology/2024/4/4 ... al-economy
When a 7.4-magnitude earthquake hit Taiwan’s eastern coast on April 3, the first concern involved the risk to people and property. Here, the news was not as dire as initially feared — only nine people have been reported killed as of Wednesday evening, along with hundreds of injuries. Considering that Wednesday’s quake was the strongest in Taiwan in 25 years — and that earthquakes of similar strength have killed tens of thousands of people or more in other countries — this could have been much worse.
Taiwan was largely able to withstand such a powerful quake because the island has taken earthquake preparation seriously, strengthening its building codes after past disasters and drilling its population in how to respond. The newest buildings tended to fare best — the 1,670-foot Taipei 101, the island’s tallest building and designed to dampen shaking in a quake, barely moved.
There was one other way in which Taiwan — and the world — avoided a worse outcome from the earthquake: the island’s all-important semiconductor manufacturing industry seemed to emerge largely intact. That’s good news — but it’s also a reminder of how fragile some of the most important nodes of the global economy remain.
Read more here:
https://www.vox.com/technology/2024/4/4 ... al-economy
When a 7.4-magnitude earthquake hit Taiwan’s eastern coast on April 3, the first concern involved the risk to people and property. Here, the news was not as dire as initially feared — only nine people have been reported killed as of Wednesday evening, along with hundreds of injuries. Considering that Wednesday’s quake was the strongest in Taiwan in 25 years — and that earthquakes of similar strength have killed tens of thousands of people or more in other countries — this could have been much worse.
Taiwan was largely able to withstand such a powerful quake because the island has taken earthquake preparation seriously, strengthening its building codes after past disasters and drilling its population in how to respond. The newest buildings tended to fare best — the 1,670-foot Taipei 101, the island’s tallest building and designed to dampen shaking in a quake, barely moved.
There was one other way in which Taiwan — and the world — avoided a worse outcome from the earthquake: the island’s all-important semiconductor manufacturing industry seemed to emerge largely intact. That’s good news — but it’s also a reminder of how fragile some of the most important nodes of the global economy remain.