Central Water Authority: Expanding the scope of earthquake alerts

Increased response time: Although some people say they find the alert messages “annoying,” one official said the frequency should be reasonable and acceptable.

Written by Wu Liangyi and Esme Ye / Editorial Board Correspondent, with Editorial Board Writer

The Central Meteorological Administration said yesterday that presidential earthquake alerts starting tomorrow will cover areas with an intensity of 3 or greater, down from 4, for earthquakes measuring 6.5 or greater on the Richter scale.

The agency said in a press conference that the public warning system currently sends alert messages to people whose locations are expected to be affected by earthquakes with a magnitude of 5 or greater, and an intensity of at least 4 degrees.

To allow an extra two or three seconds for people to take shelter, the system will also issue presidential alerts for areas that may experience a magnitude of 3 or higher during an earthquake of magnitude 6.5 or higher, she added.

Photo: Central News Agency

Wu Chenfu, director of the Central Water Authority's earthquake center, said the authority had decided to lower the threshold for raising a presidential alert following the 7.2-magnitude Hualien earthquake on April 3.

He explained that some less powerful earthquakes have a long duration and produce strong, low-frequency waves, noting that the impact of such earthquakes is more evident in tall buildings.

For example, if the seismic wave intensity measured on the first floor is level three, it will be level four when the seismic waves travel to the ninth floor, Wu said.

Meanwhile, the Hualien earthquake noted that the system's initial forecasts tended to underestimate the magnitude of the quake, so earthquakes of magnitude 6.5 or higher were included to allow for a longer response time, he said, adding that earthquakes of that magnitude are usually followed by aftershocks.

Although some people found the presidential alert messages “annoying,” their frequency should be reasonable and acceptable, according to Wu.

He said there have been eight earthquakes of magnitude 6.5 or greater since 2022, adding that based on that frequency, only 1.4 additional alerts would be issued on average in the same period under the new scheme.

Wu added that people in northern Taiwan may be alerted more frequently due to site effects, as seismic waves are amplified by changing geological conditions.

He cited Taipei as an example, where the Hualien earthquake reached its greatest intensity 16 to 17 seconds after it struck, saying alert messages could have been issued two to three seconds earlier if the system had been triggered by earthquakes measuring up to 3 on the Richter scale.

He said the Central Water Authority uses cellular broadcast technology to send alert messages through the system within seconds of an earthquake, adding that response time is critical for people to escape objects that might fall or drag their car if they are driving.

Comments will be moderated. Comments must be relevant to the article. Comments containing abusive or profane language, personal attacks of any kind, or promotion will be removed and the user will be banned. The final decision will be at the discretion of The Taipei Times.

What Are The Main Benefits Of Comparing Car Insurance Quotes Online

LOS ANGELES, CA / ACCESSWIRE / June 24, 2020, / Compare-autoinsurance.Org has launched a new blog post that presents the main benefits of comparing multiple car insurance quotes. For more info and free online quotes, please visit https://compare-autoinsurance.Org/the-advantages-of-comparing-prices-with-car-insurance-quotes-online/ The modern society has numerous technological advantages. One important advantage is the speed at which information is sent and received. With the help of the internet, the shopping habits of many persons have drastically changed. The car insurance industry hasn't remained untouched by these changes. On the internet, drivers can compare insurance prices and find out which sellers have the best offers. View photos The advantages of comparing online car insurance quotes are the following: Online quotes can be obtained from anywhere and at any time. Unlike physical insurance agencies, websites don't have a specific schedule and they are available at any time. Drivers that have busy working schedules, can compare quotes from anywhere and at any time, even at midnight. Multiple choices. Almost all insurance providers, no matter if they are well-known brands or just local insurers, have an online presence. Online quotes will allow policyholders the chance to discover multiple insurance companies and check their prices. Drivers are no longer required to get quotes from just a few known insurance companies. Also, local and regional insurers can provide lower insurance rates for the same services. Accurate insurance estimates. Online quotes can only be accurate if the customers provide accurate and real info about their car models and driving history. Lying about past driving incidents can make the price estimates to be lower, but when dealing with an insurance company lying to them is useless. Usually, insurance companies will do research about a potential customer before granting him coverage. Online quotes can be sorted easily. Although drivers are recommended to not choose a policy just based on its price, drivers can easily sort quotes by insurance price. Using brokerage websites will allow drivers to get quotes from multiple insurers, thus making the comparison faster and easier. For additional info, money-saving tips, and free car insurance quotes, visit https://compare-autoinsurance.Org/ Compare-autoinsurance.Org is an online provider of life, home, health, and auto insurance quotes. This website is unique because it does not simply stick to one kind of insurance provider, but brings the clients the best deals from many different online insurance carriers. In this way, clients have access to offers from multiple carriers all in one place: this website. On this site, customers have access to quotes for insurance plans from various agencies, such as local or nationwide agencies, brand names insurance companies, etc. "Online quotes can easily help drivers obtain better car insurance deals. All they have to do is to complete an online form with accurate and real info, then compare prices", said Russell Rabichev, Marketing Director of Internet Marketing Company. CONTACT: Company Name: Internet Marketing CompanyPerson for contact Name: Gurgu CPhone Number: (818) 359-3898Email: [email protected]: https://compare-autoinsurance.Org/ SOURCE: Compare-autoinsurance.Org View source version on accesswire.Com:https://www.Accesswire.Com/595055/What-Are-The-Main-Benefits-Of-Comparing-Car-Insurance-Quotes-Online View photos