India, other countries should replicate Taiwan’s strict building codes, high awareness and people’s preparedness: Indian research scholar

An Indian research scholar in Taiwan who experienced Wednesday’s 7.7 magnitude earthquake said that India and other countries should learn from Taiwan about having and implementing strict building codes for quake-resistant buildings.

At least 10 people died and more than 1,000 were injured on Wednesday when the powerful quake, Taiwan’s strongest earthquake in 25 years, rattled the island.

The earthquake caused massive landslides, tilted buildings, blocked roads and damaged ground floors of some buildings that collapsed, leaving them leaning at dangerous angles.

Media reports said that rescuers searched on Thursday for missing people and worked to reach hundreds stranded due to the quake at Hualien, about 200 km south of the capital of Taiwan.

“There are systems in place. It just needs to be activated. It helps save time (in rescue), how many people are to be sent, where etc. There are protocols in place ... there is no confusion. The accountability is very high,” Sana Hashmi, a research scholar with a think tank, said while talking to PTI.

“There, the importance of human life is very high, everything else is secondary. You have to save people,” said Hashmi, who works for the think tank Taiwan Asia Exchange Foundation for the last four years, said.

“How remarkable it is (the system in place). In any other country, the damage could have been devastating. But here it is so limited and damage is controlled and even the public transport was resumed in one hour,” she added.

A resident of Delhi, Hashmi, on being asked if there were obvious comparisons with her hometown, said “Can’t even think of it. It (would be) so chaotic. I don’t think, in India, a whole lot of buildings follow the codes. Not just in India but in a lot of countries…This is perhaps what a lot of us need to learn from Taiwan. There is always an opportunity in a crisis,” the research scholar said.

Hashmi came to Taipei City four years ago from Delhi. She said initially she was a little afraid whenever there was a quake – “and let me tell you, quakes of smaller intensity keep happening here” – but soon she realized how calm and composed the people were.

“Like most other residents, I didn’t even come out of my home. I am on the eighth floor. The quake was indeed stronger and was for a longer duration. But all buildings are quake-resistant, so there was no fear,” Hashmi was quoted as saying.

“Yesterday’s quake was a high-magnitude quake, but it happened away from here. In Taipei, within hours, transportation was on track, buses, and metros were running and people went to their offices. It was business as usual soon,” Hashmi said.

Citing why people remain calm, Hashmi said, it is because of the dual-purpose civil defense workshops. For Taiwan, facing quakes and typhoons is a norm.

“There are organizations that hold free workshops and awareness programs for what needs to be done during typhoons, during quakes. It is very common. Things are so normalized here. Even children are taught in school and act accordingly.”

(with PTI inputs)