Taichung City Tanzi strong earthquake early warning system seeks the golden ten seconds

(Taiwan Business News) Taichung City's first "on-site strong earthquake immediate alert system" held its inauguration ceremony yesterday (the 15th) at Xinxing Elementary School in Tanzi District. This system was developed over 3 years by the National Center for Research on Earthquake Engineering and the National Science and Technology Center for Disaster Reduction, integrating the Central Weather Bureau's earthquake detection technology as well as on-site strong motion accelerometer information. It can automatically send out broadcast warnings 10 seconds before a preset earthquake intensity occurs, securing precious golden seconds for escape and reducing casualties.

Speaking at the ceremony, Deputy Mayor Xu said the 921 earthquake still makes people shudder to this day. Back then, ground displacement from faulting even added 5 sq m to his home's area, but he would rather not have those 5 sq m of land. He said that if there could be an early warning 10 seconds before an earthquake strikes, warning everyone to run first, that would be a very good thing, and that Japan has had such equipment for a long time, with Japanese people also preparing for earthquakes at all times.

Deputy Mayor Xu also thanked the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Science and Technology for their assistance and Legislator Yang for his efforts in securing the project, allowing Taichung to install its first "on-site strong earthquake immediate alert system." He said strengthening routine earthquake evacuation and shelter drills is very important, and that every elementary school principal should think carefully about how to make good use of these hard-won seconds for escape. Through today's earthquake drill demonstration and observation, the attending principals all witnessed how to effectively evacuate and take shelter in the shortest possible time, minimizing earthquake damage, and then bring this experience back to their schools for the benefit of all teachers and students.

In addition, Deputy Mayor Xu also asked the Ministry of Education to continue subsidizing the reconstruction of hazardous classrooms, and asked Legislator Yang to help secure the funding.

The Taichung City Education Bureau stated that as of now, Taichung City has installed 30 sets of "earthquake early warning sensors" developed jointly by research teams from National Taiwan University and National Cheng Kung University at schools under its jurisdiction, and earlier this year completed the software installation of the "regional strong earthquake immediate alert system" at all 306 elementary and junior high schools across the city. With the inauguration today of the "on-site strong earthquake immediate alert system" at Xinxing Elementary School, Taichung City's earthquake early warning system has gradually become complete.