Reflections on April 3, 2024: The Power of the 921 Earthquake and Its Impact on Taiwan
On September 21, 1999, at 1:47:15 AM, Taiwan was struck by its largest earthquake in nearly a century. With its epicenter in Jiji Township, Nantou County, violent shaking caused building collapses, casualties, and widespread power outages across the island. Since that day, Taiwanese society has placed far greater weight on seismic safety in construction and on disaster preparedness and response. September 21 has become an annual moment for Taiwan to re-examine its disaster prevention systems and infrastructure, asking each year what more can still be improved.
What Kind of Earthquake Was 921, and Why Was the Damage So Severe?
The scale of the 921 earthquake's destruction can be understood through several factors.
First, the epicenter sat in Jiji Township, Nantou County, with a focal depth of only 8 kilometers. Compared to deep-source earthquakes, shallow-source events cause far more surface damage.
Second, the earthquake registered magnitude 7.3 on the Richter scale, and within seven days was followed by eight aftershocks above magnitude 6. This combination of mainshock intensity and aftershock frequency is extremely rare worldwide, and many buildings that survived the initial shock collapsed during the aftershocks that followed.
Third, the Chelungpu Fault running through central Taiwan is a reverse thrust fault. Its movement caused severe surface deformation, and the enormous release of energy made the resulting damage especially catastrophic.
What Damage Did 921 Cause?
Casualties and Island-Wide Impact
According to Kuo Kai-wen, then director of the Seismological Center at the Central Weather Bureau, the earthquake released energy equivalent to 46 atomic bombs. The mainshock lasted 102 seconds, and combined with countless aftershocks, it caused 2,415 deaths, 11,305 injuries, and 29 missing persons. A total of 51,711 buildings collapsed completely and 53,768 were partially destroyed. The scale of loss was second only to wartime casualties, making 921 the largest natural disaster Taiwan has ever faced. Roads, bridges, and water infrastructure were destroyed across multiple counties. Damage to power and industrial facilities triggered widespread blackouts, while rail and bus services were suspended. Soil liquefaction also left many surviving buildings at continued risk of collapse.
Conditions Across Affected Regions
Nantou County, at the epicenter, suffered the heaviest damage. Among the building collapses, the Jinbali (Golden Paris) residential complex in Dali City stood out as one of the worst — four of its thirteen towers collapsed, killing 80 residents. At Jiufenershan, a landslide stretched two kilometers, burying residents and livestock underground.
Taichung City experienced building damage, traffic disruption, and secondary disasters including landslides.
Yunlin County and Hualien County registered intensity 5 shaking, with damaged housing. In Caoling, Yunlin, landslides blocked and destroyed transportation routes.
Chiayi County's Alishan region saw severe damage to its transportation infrastructure.
How Did 921 Affect Government and Society?
Government Response and Prevention
Heavy equipment mobilization for relief. The government deployed thousands of construction vehicles and coordinated with civilian operators for relief work, rescuing 4,152 survivors and recovering 1,346 bodies while transporting essential supplies.
Formation of the National Disaster Medical Assistance Team. Medical personnel were dispatched to disaster areas until local medical capacity was restored. The team has since continued regular training to remain ready for future events.
Five pillars of disaster prevention policy developed by the Ministry of the Interior:
- National land planning — Through revisions to land use legislation and the Spatial Planning Act, environmentally sensitive areas are now actively managed, and the National Spatial Plan supports ecological restoration. This enforces the dual goals of prevention before disaster and recovery after.
- Urban planning — Under the Urban Planning Act, periodic comprehensive reviews are now mandatory. Recovery and reconstruction measures are tailored to different disaster types, enabling rolling adjustments to regional plans.
- Building management — Seismic capacity assessments and retrofit programs were established for existing buildings, along with formal evaluation procedures and mechanisms.
- Urban renewal — In 2017, the Act for Expediting Reconstruction of Urban Unsafe and Old Buildings was enacted to support the rebuilding of dangerous and aging structures, raising the standard of residential safety.
- Housing assistance — Home purchase loan interest subsidies, repair loan interest subsidies, rent assistance, and social housing programs now help disaster victims and disadvantaged residents secure stable shelter.
Society's Response and Support
International search and rescue teams. 38 rescue teams from 21 countries took part in relief work. Their international experience and specialized equipment greatly strengthened Taiwan's then-emerging rescue organizations and helped restore its medical systems.
International donations. Billions of NT dollars in foreign donations were received, with Japan contributing roughly 80 percent of the total.
Industry cooperation. Companies inside the science parks set aside competing interests to work together on recovery, overcoming water and power challenges through coordinated effort.
Civil society. Religious organizations, corporate foundations, community cultural groups, and social welfare nonprofits from across Taiwan joined the government's response, forming a collective force that improved both the scale and the efficiency of relief.
How Much Can We Prepare for an Earthquake?
Today, some people feel disconnected from earthquake risk; others believe that fate decides the outcome. But disasters, much like illness, cannot be predicted — and prevention always matters more than treatment. So before disaster arrives, what can we do?
Has the government built strong enough detection and warning systems for the next earthquake? Is post-disaster rescue capacity ready when it is needed?
Are communities, companies, and institutions carrying out regular inspections and proper maintenance of their buildings? Are those buildings fully legal and compliant?
Has every household, every individual, prepared a disaster kit and secured their furniture so that a sudden quake doesn't turn ordinary objects into hazards?
These are things each of us can work on, quietly and consistently, day by day. May Taiwan, when meeting future disasters of this kind, meet them with steadiness — and pass through them together.
