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Advances of Geo-Disaster Mitigation Technologies in Taiwan

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Progress of Geo-Disaster Mitigation Technology in Asia

Part of the book series: Environmental Science and Engineering ((ENVSCIENCE))

Abstract

Taiwan is located in the typhoon district of the Pacific Ocean and is hit by typhoons averaged 3.6 times annually. Many large scale hillside development projects were undertaken in the past decades. These areas have become very vulnerable to natural hazard and usually are subject to heavy damage under slope-land disasters. The loss of people’s lives and properties are severe. The average death toll was 8.26 casualties per event from 1981 to 1999. Starting from 1992, huge resources had been spent in the research of debris flows and landslides. After the assessment and warning system started on 2000, the number of casualties decreased to an averaged 2.23 per event between 2000 and 2008 and the average decreased as time progress. There were 22 large landslides or debris flows in 2008, but the average casualty was only 0.55 per event. This paper describes the technology advances from 2000 to 2010 in Taiwan. The most important advances are in the assessment technology, warning technology and mitigation concepts. The assessment method started with pure empirical formula, then improved to delimiting hazard zone numerically. The most recent change is to include social vulnerability in assessment. The warning system started with very local monitoring to nationwide warning with fine resolution quantitative precipitation estimation with multiple sensor radar system. The warning time has improved to more than 24 h before the disaster. The concept for mitigation changes from traditional structure countermeasures to ecological means. However the most fundamental change is the shifting emphasis from structure mitigation to non-structure mitigation with planning, education and drills.

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Acknowledgments

This paper requires a lot of information, special thanks should be given to Dr. Wei Liang-Rung from the National Science Council in Taiwan and Dr. Yin Shao-Yun from the Bureau of water and soil conservation.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Civil Engineering, National Taiwan University, No.1, Sec. 4 Roosevelt Rd, 106, Taipei, Taiwan

    Ko-Fei Liu

  2. Department of Hydraulic and Ocean Engineering, National Cheng Kung University, No.1, University Road, 701, Tainan City, Taiwan

    Chyan-Deng Jan

  3. Department of Civil Engineering, National Chung Hsing University, No.250, Kuo Kuang Road, 40227, Taichung, Taiwan

    Ping Sien Lin

  4. National Science and Technology Center for Disaster Reduction, 9F., No.200, Sec. 3, Beisin Rd., Sindian District, 231 New, Taipei City, Taiwan

    Hsin-Chi Li

Authors
  1. Ko-Fei Liu
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  2. Chyan-Deng Jan
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  3. Ping Sien Lin
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  4. Hsin-Chi Li
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Ko-Fei Liu .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. , Faculty of Sci. & Engr., Shimane University, Nishikawatsu-cho 1060, Matsue, 69-8504, Japan

    Fawu Wang

  2. Kanazawa University, Kakuma-machi, Kanazawa, 920-1192, Japan

    Masakatsu Miyajima

  3. , Department of Geological Engineering, Chang’an University, Xi’an, 710054, China, People's Republic

    Tonglu Li

  4. , Institute of Engineering Geology Explora, Northeast Forestry University, Hexing Road 26, Harbin, 150040, China, People's Republic

    Wei Shan

  5. , Dept. of Civil and, Universitas Gadjah Mada, Jl. Grafika No. 2 Kampus UGM, Yogyakarta, 55281, Indonesia

    Teuku Faisal Fathani

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Liu, KF., Jan, CD., Lin, P.S., Li, HC. (2013). Advances of Geo-Disaster Mitigation Technologies in Taiwan. In: Wang, F., Miyajima, M., Li, T., Shan, W., Fathani, T. (eds) Progress of Geo-Disaster Mitigation Technology in Asia. Environmental Science and Engineering(). Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-29107-4_4

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