Photos Credit: National Taiwan University
The 19th APRU Multi-Hazards Symposium was held in Taipei on October 1–2 with a rare activation of the contingency plan, as the recording-breaking Typhoon Krathon disrupted social and economic activities across the island of Taiwan, echoing the conference theme that aims to explore innovated disaster risk reduction approaches in the face of increasingly frequent and intense natural hazards.
Hosted by National Taiwan University’s (NTU) Center for Weather and Climate Disaster Research, the annual conference is themed “Forging Sustainable and Resilient Futures: Science, Technology and Innovation for Disaster Risk Reduction.” This year’s event attracted more than 120 participants from 39 organizations in 13 economies, with 10 keynote speakers and 13 sessions covering 10 sub-topics, including early warning systems, risk communication, and disaster education.
The looming landfall of Typhoon Krathon prompted the organizer to shift the 2nd-day sessions online and cancel the 3rd-day field trips. The tropical cyclone broke a number of records including the “longest-lasting weather alert” in Taiwan’s history: four days and four hours. The real-life experience of this year’s Symposium is a proof that Asia-Pacific region is particularly susceptible to a wide range of natural hazards.
“The increasing frequency and intensity of natural hazards underscores the urgent need for proactive and comprehensive strategies to mitigate risks, enhance preparedness, and build resilience,” said Professor Chun-Chieh Wu, Director of NTU’s Center for Weather and Climate Disaster Research.
One highlight of the symposium was a panel discussion on lessons learned from two earthquakes that hit the region earlier this year.
A magnitude 7.6 earthquake struck Noto peninsula in western Japan on January 1, killing over 230 people. On April 3, a magnitude 7.6 earthquake hit Taiwan’s eastern county of Hualien, causing at least 18 fatalities.
Professor Michio Ubaura from the International Research Institute of Disaster of Tohoku University in Japan shared his analysis over the Noto quake, focusing on recovery measures especially in areas with declining population.
Professor Kuo-Fong Ma from the Institute of Earth Sciences of Academia Sinica in Taiwan presented her research on making societies resilient through intelligent smart-city technologies.
“After the devastating 1999 Chi-Chi earthquake, Taiwan has made significant advancements to improve resilience against future seismic events,” Professor Ma explained.
“Located in an active seismic zone, Taiwan has integrated scientific innovations and smart data management to enhance earthquake hazard assessments, aiming to develop smart cities and improve disaster response.”
To encourage student involvement in research and innovation, the symposium included a Student Poster Competition. Among the 52 entries, 14 won awards, with Xinyu Zhang from Tohoku University and Mary Joanne C. Aniñon from De La Salle University winning the First Place Awards for their outstanding research. Please view the complete list of awards here.
