Taiwan’s Strongest Earthquake Since 921: No Casualties or Damage Reported

graphic showing location of earthquake in Taiwan

May 31, 2016May 31, 2016 Phillip Charlier 0 Comment earthquake

The biggest earthquake to rock Taiwan since the 921 earthquake of September 1999, struck 70 kilometers out to sea north east of Keelung City today, sparing the island from any significant damage. The 7.2 magnitude earthquake struck at 1.23pm, registering a magnitude of 4 in Ilan and Hualian Counties on the east coast, and a 3 in parts of Taipei. Television news showed buildings shaking as people recorded the event on cellphones. Some stores had products fall from shelves. Train

Rescue workers at the scene of an industrial accident

Disaster

May 30, 2016May 30, 2016 Phillip Charlier 0 Comment industrial-accident

Two workers were killed and 5 injured when scaffolding to a height of 53 meters collapsed at a power plant being constructed in Kaohsiung yesterday May 29. A 47 year-old man was pronounced dead at the scene, and a 25 year-old man was rushed to hospital where doctors were unable to resuscitate him. Firefighters reported that they turned up to a scene of chaos with men screaming for help. Rescue workers extracted a total of 11 people from the tangled

A platform set up to salvage oil from a stranded ship that is breaking up on Taiwan's north coast

Disaster Environment

March 28, 2016March 28, 2016 Phillip Charlier 0 Comment oil spill, ship aground, T.S. Lines Taipei

Legislators held a meeting today and announced plans to remove 9 containers of hazardous chemicals from a stranded freighter that is breaking up on the north coast of Taiwan. The Ministry of Transportation said the containers are secured to the ship with little chance of falling into the sea, and will be removed next week. The containers are secured in the front half of the ship, which is stable. The back half of the ship is tilting dangerously to seaward.

Disaster

March 15, 2016March 15, 2016 Phillip Charlier 0 Comment environmental hazard, oil spill, ship aground

An oil leak, the release of hazardous chemicals, and disruption of cooling facilities at a nearby nuclear reactor, are all potential threats posed by the grounding of a freighter near Shimen Township in the waters of New Taipei City. The T.S. Lines freighter, is grounded on rocks close to shore after losing power in bad weather shortly after departing from Keelung Harbor enroute to Hong Kong. Breaches to the hull resulted in flooding of the engine compartment and damage to

The wreckage of a helicopter after crashing in the sea is seen washed up on the shore in New Taipei City Taiwan

Disaster

March 11, 2016March 12, 2016 Phillip Charlier 2 Comments aviation-accident, helicopter crash, New Taipei City

Five people were rescued but one crew member was killed instantly when a helicopter crashed into the ocean near Shimen township, New Taipei City today, March 11. One crew member was rushed to hospital but later died. The helicopter belonged to the Ministry of the Interior Airborne Division, and was carrying coast guard and shipping company engineers. The Taiwan-registered freighter came aground yesterday after losing power in rough conditions. Taiwan has been under the influence of a severe continental cold

A collapsed building in Tainan City after the earthquake of February 6, 2016

Disaster

February 6, 2016February 6, 2016 Phillip Charlier 0 Comment earthquake, earthquake search and rescue, Tainan

A 6.4 magnitude earthquake centered in Kaohsiung County awoke residents a few minutes before 4AM this morning February 6, 2016. Three people have died and 160 hospitalized at the time of writing, with the number expected to rise as rescue workers penetrate collapsed buildings. Authorities are still working to assess the extent of the damage as the President heads to Tainan, which appears to have taken the brunt of the damage. Several residential buildings housing hundreds of families have collapsed.

Soldiers assisting residents in Wulai, after landslides and other damage caused by Typhoon Soudelor in Taiwan.

Disaster

August 10, 2015May 13, 2016 Phillip Charlier 0 Comment news, search and rescue, Taiwan, typhoon soudelor, Wulai

Wulai Township: A clearer picture of Typhoon Soudelor’s destructive power emerged Monday, as weather cleared, floodwaters receded, and rescue crews reached isolated communities around Wulai, south of Taipei City. The main tourist thoroughfare, Wulai’s ‘Old Street’ is covered by mud, rocks, and other debris. The bridge linking the old street to the main part of the village and its hot-springs resorts, has lost its safety rails. The narrow gauge coal train, constructed during the Japanese colonial period, and now used

Fire

July 26, 2015 Phillip Charlier 0 Comment battery-fire, Disaster, fire, news, Taiwan, Taoyuan

A building was destroyed after a lithium ion battery being repaired in the first floor electric bicycle business went up in flames. Because there were many flammable substances in the store, an intense fire quickly engulfed the business. Four men managed to make it to the roof from where they were rescued by firefighters, but two men died in the building.

Disaster

Taiwan’s Strongest Earthquake Since 921: No Casualties or Damage Reported

Two Workers Dead after Scaffolding Collapses

Stranded Freighter Update

Grounded Ship Presents Serious Environmental Threats

Helicopter Crashes into the Ocean 2 Dead 5 Rescued

Destructive Earthquake Strikes Taiwan’s South

Post Typhoon Clean-up: Rescues and Airdrops Continue

Lithium Battery causes Fire: 2 Dead