Taiwan Builds its First Undersea Earthquake Sensor

Taiwan began building its first undersea earthquake sensor yesterday in a project to give earlier warnings of the quakes and tsunami that frequently hit the region.

In the wake of the 9.0-magnitude quake and tsunami that devastated northeastern Japan, the head of Taiwan’s seismology centre said the device would give seconds or even minutes of extra time ahead of a natural disaster.

“It is expected to give us an average of 10 seconds’ extra warning if earthquakes hit off the east,” Kuo Kaiwen said. Nearly 70 per cent of Taiwan’s quakes strike in that area. “It will also allow us an extra 10 minutes to issue tsunami warnings.”

The start of construction came as a 5.5-magnitude earthquake rumbled off the coast of Taitung county at 4pm yesterday, according to the China Earthquake Network Centre. The epicentre was at a depth of 30 kilometres.

The NT$ 4.28 million ( HK$1.13 million) sensor, 45 kilometres off Toucheng in Yilan county, is due to start working in October.

Taiwan has more than 100 quake sensors, making it – like Japan – one of the world’s best-equipped areas with earthquake monitoring devices. “ But many of the temblors off the island had not been detected,” Kuo said, adding that the centre would deploy more seabed sensors if authorities approved their construction.

Taiwan is regularly hit by earthquakes because it sits near the junction of two tectonic plates. In September 1999, a 7.6-magnitude quake killed about 2,400 people in the deadliest natural disaster in the island’s recent history.

Amid warming cross-strait ties and the fallout from the March 11 quake, Taiwanese President Ma Ying-jeou called yesterday for further co-operation on medical and other health care issues between the mainland and Taiwan.

Ma made the call at a ceremony celebrating the founding of an association for cross-strait medical co-operation.

[mappress]

Source: pressdisplay, March 23, 2011; Image: nrcan