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MONDO EARTHQUAKE
(MT) Sunday, October 3, 1999, 2:01 AM, Taichung, Taiwan - On Friday 10/1/99, the 2 Sun brothers, rescued last Sunday from Taipei's Tunghsing Building after being trapped for 130 hours, were released from the hospital. Friday night, they appeared on the Taiwan Ichiban TV show. Taiwan's media is too much!
In an editorial in the Saturday, 10/2/99 edition of the Taipei Times, Lin Ho-lin, associate professor at National Taiwan University's Graduate Institute of Journalism, and Fang Nian-hsuan, associate professor at National Chungcheng University's Institute of Telecommunications wrote of the problems in the media's coverage of the earthquake. In addition to the "frequently inaccurate reporting," they criticized the media for "a general disrespect for those who suffered." On 9/24, on this very page, I complained about this same thing which I've seen time and time again: reporters going so far to get a story as to endanger people's lives. Chang Ching-hung, the 6-year old boy rescued from Tali's "Golden Paris" building on 9/24, is reported in the Taipei Times editorial as "facing the threat of kidney failure" at the time the reporters were grilling him with questions like, "What kind of chores did you usually do for your mommy?" The editorial closes by saying, "Hopefully, we won't see any more big-shot reporters who 'get the stories' but totally disregard humanity." Well put.
The 10/2/99 edition of the Taiwan News reports that 62 builders are being investigated on charges of involuntary manslaughter related to deaths resulting from building collapses. 46 people have been forbidden from leaving Taiwan, and 10 are being detained. Vice Justice Minister Tseng Yung-fu told reporters, "We have moved quite quickly." WRONG! You moved too fucking slow, asshole! Tseng also said "there was an 'undesirable culture' of corruption," but that "the investigation could have a deterrent effect on officials and contractors." Like I said before, it's too little, too late. I know this has to be a misprint, but the article says the maximum penalty for those convicted of "involuntary manslaughter through negligent workmanship" is "five years imprisonment and a fine of up to NT$3,000" (US$94.38?!?!) (Read the entire article here.)
An article in the 10/2/99 edition of the China Post says that as Taipei mourned the victims of the Tunghsing Building, Taipei Mayor Ma Ying-jeou "expressed the hope that the loss of life will lead to an awakening on the part of the public about the danger of earthquakes and the need to be prepared." I would suggest that either the word "public" or the word "earthquakes" in the previous sentence be replaced with the word "government(s)" or "politician(s)."
(MT) Saturday, October 2, 1999, 12:45 AM, Taichung, Taiwan - Nearly 11 full days since the big quake, aftershocks are still rattling our nerves. One struck at around 9 PM Friday night while I was on the third floor of a downtown building. A few minutes later, I heard a news bulletin that said it was a 3.5. In many of the reports I'm now seeing, the 9/21 quake is being referred to as a 7.3 instead of the 7.6 which had been reported since late the first day. I see no explanations accompanying this shift. On the morning of 9/21, the first local reports said it was a 7.3, but later, it was said by the U.S. Geological Survey's National Earthquake Information Center to have been a 7.6.
In Taichung, several teams of building inspectors are making their rounds checking all buildings over eight stories high and any others whose owners request an inspection. Each team consists of 2 architects and an "office official" who grant the buildings one of three ratings. A red notice posted on the building by an inspection team deems it as "dangerous" and necessitating evacuation. A yellow notice indicates buildings which should be watched for further danger, but are deemed safe to occupy for the time being. A white notice is posted on structures that are said to pose "no danger." So far, "just over 10 buildings have received red ratings," according to Hsiao Lin-hu of the Building Management Office in the 10/1 edition of the Taiwan News. He also said that "it would probably take about a week or more" to complete the required inspections within the city of Taichung. (Read the entire article here.)
The article also suggests certain things for residents to watch for: 1) Signs of collapse or shifting off of foundations; 2) A leaning building structure; 3) Cracked support columns, pillars, and walls; 4) Signs of collapse or severe damage in neighboring buildings; 5) Cracks, buckling, and other damage to the ground around the building; 6) Damaged utility lines, such as gas and water. Residents are advised to get a professional inspection done "in the event of serious damage in any of these categories," but the article fails to mention a contact telephone number.
(MT) Friday, October 1, 1999, 12:30 AM, Taichung, Taiwan - As the aftershocks become smaller and farther apart, so do the reports, but I've got TV again. I've been back at work for 3 days now, so I spend less time poring over the news reports and more time trying to do "normal" things. For a lot of people, however, the tragedy will remain for a long time. While I've had uninterrupted electricity for about 3 days now, and my water supply has, for the meantime, been restored, tens of thousands of others are not so fortunate. Taipower has had a lot of explaining to do in an attempt to resolve why the industrial sector is taking precedent over the average citizen in the rationing of power.
An editorial cartoon in the 9/28/99 edition of the Taiwan News depicts a person with a bandaged head lying on the ground while two men with sticks hover over him, beating and kicking him. The one on the ground is labeled "even distribution of electricity." The others are labeled "neon lights" and "wasteful behavior." Around the corner is a trembling member of a SWAT team holding a rifle. On his helmet, it says "Taipower," and below is written "emergency decree." He says in a cartoon balloon, "Sorry, I wish I could help..." Another cartoon in the 9/29/99 edition of the Taiwan News shows a blindfolded person with "Taipower" written on his shirt. He's rolling 2 dice marked "areas" and "times." The caption reads: "Taipower implements its rationing plan..." They've hit the nail on the head with these 2 editorials.
The Taichung City government has begun distribution of a booklet detailing reconstruction plans in the wake of the 9/21 earthquake. I found mine at the bus station on the way home from work tonight. The people working at the bus station said that everyone could have 50 copies of the 54-page booklet, dated September 27, 1999, 4:30 PM. Although it seems to be well-organized and informative, it's much too little and much too late. According to the booklet, 114 people died within Taichung City--97 of those in the Peitun District. Not only were the architects and builders negligent in the planning and construction of these collapsed structures. The government itself should be held accountable for allowing this to happen. Considering the emergency decree recently issued by President Lee Teng-hui, my preceding statement might make me a criminal, but fuck it--it's got to be said!
(MT) Wednesday, September 29, 1999, 11:08 AM, Taichung, Taiwan - Lots of late updates. In the past week, I haven't slept a whole lot, so it's hard to keep track of things and absorb it all.
In addition to being without water since last night, it seems as though I have lost my cable TV transmission. While I often complain about the inaccuracy of the news, I still watch it for comparative analysis as well as to develop an informed opinion when criticizing the news stations.
Other reports from Tuesday's Taipei Times indicated that there were, in fact, 3 large aftershocks on Monday afternoon between 3:00 and 3:28 PM measuring 5.0, 4.3, and 5.1 respectively. I'm beginning to think I don't feel anything below 5.5 anymore. The epicenters of these "aftershocks" were in Taichung and Nantou Counties. I don't remember them. It even says another 5.4 quake struck 37.9 km southwest of Hualien around 7:50 PM Monday. Huh?!
Fu Jen Catholic University's deputy medical school director Hsiao Shu-jeu was quoted in a back page 9/28/99 China Post article by Victoria Jen on the psychological effects of the quake on survivors: "Taiwan faced a particularly cultural difficulty, as seeking outside help was often considered a shameful sign of weakness."
(MT) Wednesday, September 29, 1999, 12:54 AM, Taichung, Taiwan - I spoke too soon about the aftershocks in my earlier report today. Just after posting it on the web, another tremor--which I estimated to be about a 5.5--sent me running out the door. It really bothers me that these things don't seem to bother a lot of people.
I returned to work on Tuesday night, but I didn't want to bother anyone about using the scanner there. It just didn't seem like the right thing to do. Perhaps I'll scan the photos tomorrow. The building where I work has a lot of cracks in the interior walls. That kind of bothers me, but as I mentioned above, others don't even seem to notice these things.
Taipower (Taiwan's power monopoly) has increased the rationing to 7 hours without electricity for a lot of people in northern Taiwan. Because of today's unusually high temperatures (33°C/92°F), there was quite an increase in the power demand. Taiwan already has 3 nuclear plants and a fourth one in the works. Speaking of nuclear plants, no one has mentioned them in the news. Fortunately, they're all located about as far from the earthquake's epicenter as they possibly could be.
Otherwise, I heard on ICRT's 10:00 PM 9/28/99 news report that Taichung's water supply had been completely restored. So far, I hadn't had any water problems because the building where I live has a big storage tank in the basement, but tonight when I was ready to take a shower, I was in for a surprise--there was no water. Well, I guess these things happen. In order to eat, I had to wash a bowl with water I had stored in bottles, then do the same to brush my teeth. I guess it's a good thing I was a Boy Scout. I've got all my rechargeables charged, I've got candles, food, water, bedroll, radio, flashlight, medicine, etc. I'm not a "survivalist," but the bedroll and bottled water are the only special items added recently to the usual things.
(MT) Tuesday, September 28, 1999, 12:54 PM, Taichung, Taiwan - No serious aftershocks in the past couple of days. I'm pretty happy about that, but I'm still sleeping fully clothed. Newspaper reports say that many people are doing the same as a result of the unpredictable aftershocks and the devastation they have witnessed.
More than a week after the first quake, most rescue efforts have been called off. It was reported in the 9/28 China Post that "International rescue specialists from 23 countries lingered at a few sites, probing for any signs of life."
Due to a lack of coordination in the relief efforts, different rescue teams have often been in conflict with each other. One group would go into a site with sonar equipment, necessitating quiet conditions to do their jobs, then another team would enter with sniffer dogs, throwing the first group's efforts into chaos. In some areas, donated goods have piled up undistributed while other, more remote areas complained of shortages. The China Post quoted an unspecified editorial as saying that "without an efficient command system, much of the goodwill is going to waste."
A complicated schedule of power rationing will occur in Taipei City and County, Keelung, Ilan County, Taoyuan County, Hsinchu City and County, and Miaoli County. This covers a large portion of northern Taiwan, and the cuts will effect people for up to 6.5 hours per day. Some suburban areas (Zone G, whatever that means) are listed in the schedule as being subject to the chance of having their power cut "at any time." This schedule is said to have been designed to "meet the needs of the manufacturing sector." What about "regular people"?
Despite it's unpleasantness, it's a good reminder for us not to waste resources.
(MT) Monday, September 27, 1999, 10:50 AM, Taichung, Taiwan - Although the aftershocks now number over 7,000, it was a quiet night with nothing like the several large-scale aftershocks that have occurred over the past 6 days.
A 12-story residential building in Nantou County's Ming-chien Township toppled as a result of yesterday's aftershock falling onto a busy road and catching fire. It crushed the Ming-chien Township Farmers' Association building across the street, at least 2 passing vehicles, and several passersby, according to the 9/27/99 edition of the Taipei Times. The story reported that of 2 people working in the Farmers' Association building at the time, one managed to escape, while the other was still missing at press time.
A 6-year old girl was killed at Puli Junior High School by a tree which fell over as a result of turbulence caused by a landing helicopter. The reports variously say that it was a helicopter providing supplies to the refugees camped out there or perhaps one of the 4 choppers in President Lee Teng-hui's entourage.
The Sun brothers, rescued from Taipei's Tunghsing Building yesterday, were in the headlines along with yesterday's strong aftershock. The aftershock was variously reported--even by the same paper--as being 6.5 or 6.8 in magnitude.
A Japanese rescue worker in the Taichung County township of Tungshih said it is beyond his comprehension that half of the 20 refugee centers there, which house about 6,300 quake victims, have not even provided portable toilets, causing deplorable sanitary conditions.
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