Flood depth record of typhoon Nari, September 17, 2001, MRT Ximen Station in Taipei. Photo by Olimpia Kot.
What is going on?
Taiwan has just experienced the landfall of the first typhoon of the season. Typhoon Gaemi struck on July 23, bringing heavy rains and strong winds that triggered flooding and landslides across the island. Land and sea warnings were issued by Taiwan Weather Administration the day before. The storm resulted in 11 deaths, 3 people missing, and nearly 1000 injuries.
The typhoon occurred roughly three weeks after the Ministry of the Interior (MOI) organized its annual press conference on typhoon prevention and preparedness, which is held to showcase new innovations and procedures during typhoon season. As with any such event, the response to Gaemi raises questions about what improvements should be made to mitigate the impact of natural disasters.
What is the broader picture?
Due to its geological and geographical setting, Taiwan is susceptible to a wide range of natural disasters, including earthquakes, floods, and landslides. Typhoon Gaemi was the first typhoon in recent years to cause extensive damage to Taiwan’s infrastructure and agriculture. The winds and precipitation were strong enough for the government to implement the ‘typhoon holiday’ policy for two consecutive days across Taiwan’s 22 administrative divisions (except Kinmen County on the first day) and to shut down schools and workplaces. Furthermore, the 2024 live-fire component of the Han Kuang military exercises (漢光演習) was cut short so that troops could be mobilized to assist in disaster relief.
Agricultural losses reached NT$1.7 billion, and eight ships ran aground in the waters of southern Taiwan, with the search for the missing crew members still ongoing. To minimize farmers’ losses President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) offered assistance in the form of financial subsidies and low-interest loans.
During its conference on disaster prevention and preparedness, which the MOI typically conducts at the beginning of each typhoon season, the ministry gave updates on preparedness and strategies, and presented the latest science and technology to improve disaster prevention. Such innovation includes the deployment of drones for typhoon and flood prevention and the Fire and Disaster Prevention e-APP.
These efforts are designed to ensure that the relevant agencies and the public are prepared for the typhoon season. The new Mid-Term Program for Autonomous Community Emergency Response Teams (T-CERTs) was also introduced. The initiative is scheduled for implementation from 2024-2029, with the goal of training the private sector in initial response rescue skills, such as assessment, search marking system, rescue, and medical care.
Why does it matter?
Typhoon Gaemi highlighted the ongoing need to build resilience against natural disasters, which requires institutional operational preparedness for a potential disaster-related humanitarian crisis. And while Taiwan has made significant improvements to emergency response practices since the 1999 Chi-Chi earthquake and typhoon Morakot in 2009, the policy implementation and effective utilization of resources at the central and local levels still requires adjustments. The crucial areas are the civil response programs and training, intersectoral cooperation and coordination, a standardized system of disaster management, and cultural sensitivity training.
Currently, there is an absence of a separate emergency central management organization in Taiwan operating during the non-crisis stage. This task is undertaken by the National Fire Agency (NFA) under the MOI. The NFA also oversees the Central Emergency Operation Center (中央災害應變中心, CEOC), which is activated only in cases of emergency and lacks stand-by preparedness.
Meanwhile, improved cultural sensitivity could lessen the impact of political and social challenges triggered by disasters. An example of such issues came during the aftermath of typhoon Mindulle in 2004, when controversial comments by then Vice President Anette Lu (呂秀蓮) led to nationwide protests by Taiwan’s Indigenous peoples, culminating in a several thousand-strong demonstration in front of the Presidential Office. Another instance followed Typhoon Morakot in 2009, when the permanent relocation of Indigenous communities posed numerous cultural, social, economic, and psychological challenges.
These improvements and the implementation of new mechanisms could prove beneficial, not only in the case of natural disasters but also during other types of large-scale emergencies.
