A total of 430 buildings were damaged by Wednesday’s magnitude 7.2 earthquake, including 18 tagged as “red” zones and 34 as “yellow,” with most of structures concentrated in Hualien County, Taipei, New Taipei City and Keelung, the National Land Management Agency said yesterday.
Agency officials have been busy fielding telephone calls by residents reporting damage and requesting government inspectors to conduct on-site assessments, it said.
A list of 339 professional engineers certified to carry out damage assessment has been compiled, with more to be added in the coming days, it said.
Photo: Chiang Ying-ying, AP
Following inspections to evaluate building conditions, 18 were listed as “code red,” signifying the highest level of damage, 17 of which were in Hualien County and the other one in Taipei, the agency said in a news release.
Thirty-four were classified as “code yellow” for the secondary level of damage: 14 in Hualien County, and 10 each in Taipei and New Taipei City, it said.
Meanwhile, 194 cases showed minor damage and need not post warning signs, while inspections are still being carried out, the agency said.
“Aftershocks from the main earthquake are still taking place, so people are reminded to avoid entering closed places and roads. People should also refrain from entering areas and roads that have experienced falling rocks and landslides,” it said.
“If they see buildings with obvious signs of tilting, cracks or fissures on the walls, or tiles or pieces falling off the exterior, they should walk on the inside of the first-story walkway to avoid being hit by falling materials,” it said.
The agency also advised people to inspect their own residences for damage.
People should take a close look at the roof beams, pillars, load-bearing walls and floor, concrete spalling and crushed concrete from induced stress, as well as check for exposed steel bars in concrete blocks.
“If any of the above signs are found, contact a professional civil engineer or architect immediately to conduct an on-site inspection,” it said.
Agency officials said the government can provide financial subsidies of up to NT$4.5 million (US$140,375) per case for residents to fix weak load-bearing sections, usually on the first level or lower floors.
A Chinese freighter that allegedly snapped an undersea cable linking Taiwan proper to Penghu County is suspected of being owned by a Chinese state-run company and had docked at the ports of Kaohsiung and Keelung for three months using different names. On Tuesday last week, the Togo-flagged freighter Hong Tai 58 (宏泰58號) and its Chinese crew were detained after the Taipei-Penghu No. 3 submarine cable was severed. When the Coast Guard Administration (CGA) first attempted to detain the ship on grounds of possible sabotage, its crew said the ship’s name was Hong Tai 168, although the Automatic Identification System (AIS)
An Akizuki-class destroyer last month made the first-ever solo transit of a Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force ship through the Taiwan Strait, Japanese government officials with knowledge of the matter said yesterday. The JS Akizuki carried out a north-to-south transit through the Taiwan Strait on Feb. 5 as it sailed to the South China Sea to participate in a joint exercise with US, Australian and Philippine forces that day. The Japanese destroyer JS Sazanami in September last year made the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force’s first-ever transit through the Taiwan Strait, but it was joined by vessels from New Zealand and Australia,
SECURITY: The purpose for giving Hong Kong and Macau residents more lenient paths to permanent residency no longer applies due to China’s policies, a source said The government is considering removing an optional path to citizenship for residents from Hong Kong and Macau, and lengthening the terms for permanent residence eligibility, a source said yesterday. In a bid to prevent the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) from infiltrating Taiwan through immigration from Hong Kong and Macau, the government could amend immigration laws for residents of the territories who currently receive preferential treatment, an official familiar with the matter speaking on condition of anonymity said. The move was part of “national security-related legislative reform,” they added. Under the amendments, arrivals from the Chinese territories would have to reside in Taiwan for
CRITICAL MOVE: TSMC’s plan to invest another US$100 billion in US chipmaking would boost Taiwan’s competitive edge in the global market, the premier said The government would ensure that the most advanced chipmaking technology stays in Taiwan while assisting Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC, 台積電) in investing overseas, the Presidential Office said yesterday. The statement follows a joint announcement by the world’s largest contract chipmaker and US President Donald Trump on Monday that TSMC would invest an additional US$100 billion over the next four years to expand its semiconductor manufacturing operations in the US, which would include construction of three new chip fabrication plants, two advanced packaging facilities, and a research and development center. The government knew about the deal in advance and would assist, Presidential
RSS