Disaster Risk Reducation Education

On the morning of April 3, 2024, a powerful earthquake of magnitude 7.2 jolted the entire Republic of China (R.O.C. Taiwan). This earthquake, the largest one in the past 25 years, caused significant damage and casualties in Hualien County, where the epicenter was located. Many buildings collapsed as well as infrastructure, such as roads, bridges, and school facilities were destroyed. Facing this "0403 earthquake", losses only less than the "921 earthquake" in severity, this issue will focus on the impacts, changes, and response measures brought about by this seismic event.

The 0403 earthquake occurred during schools' morning activities, and schools across the country demonstrated excellent emergency response capabilities. Teachers and students quickly evacuated following the steps practiced in regular disaster evacuation drills, once again proving the importance of regular disaster evacuation drills. However, unlike the usual in-class evacuation scenarios schools are accustomed to, many teachers and students were outdoors rehearsing for Children's Day celebrations, doing morning cleaning, attending school assemblies, or even on their way to work or school when the earthquake struck. This led to challenges in accounting for people and roll calls during the evacuation and assembly process at some schools. To enhance campus disaster response capabilities, the Ministry of Education (MOE) invited disaster management experts and Disaster Prevention Education Guidance Groups from various counties and cities to discuss and exchange insights. They considered all the differences between actual disaster response and routine evacuation drills, aiming to further examine and improve school response organization actions.

Earthquakes are always unpredictable, and knowing how to protect oneself in the critical few seconds is crucial. The Earthquake Rapid Reporting System of the Central Weather Administration played a vital role in this regard. Given the frequency of earthquakes in the territory of Taiwan, the Central Weather Administration utilizes a high-density real-time seismic network and early seismic wave signals to rapidly calculate epicenter information and issue warning messages. These early warning systems can provide valuable response time for areas further from the epicenter, effectively reducing disaster damage. People can also receive warning messages through the "E-earthquake" APP or the Public Warning System(PWS) on their mobile phones, allowing them to take protective measures promptly.

The huge shake at 7:58 AM on April 3 not only woke many still sleeping citizens but also awakened everyone's crisis awareness, enabling many children and parents who had never experienced the 921 earthquake to deeply feel the power of a major earthquake. There are numerous Disaster Risk Reduction Education (DRRE) promotion venues and facilities in R.O.C. Taiwan, offering experiential activities to help more people understand the importance of disaster prevention and mitigation tasks, at the same time learning how to protect themselves and their families when disasters strike, as well as how to seek assistance if affected. September 21st is "National Disaster Preparedness Day" in R.O.C. Taiwan. This year, there will still be a series of DRRE activities including lectures, exhibitions, carnival fairs, and parent-child co-learning events. Everyone is welcome to pay attention to the information and actively participate to prepare for their own and their family's safety.