Taiwan tremor

A powerful earthquake hit the island nation of Taiwan in the early hours of Saturday. Hardest hit was the city of Tainan, where a seventeen storey apartment building collapsed like an accordion. At present, eleven are confirmed dead while more than a hundred remained missing, but the number may actually be higher as the tremor struck two days before the Chinese New Year. It is assumed that many of the residents had visitors staying with them to celebrate the new year. Babies and young children were among the dead.

A total of fourteen deaths have so far been tabulated across the country. Rescuers continue their search for survivors among the rubble. An investigation is also underway as to why the building collapsed so fast, when it was not on a dangerous structure list. Shoddy construction may have led to the collapse. Memories of the collapse of Ruby Tower come to mind.

Taiwan is located close to the country. So the possibility of an earthquake hitting the country is not at all remote. Last year, there was a lot of talk about the West Valley Fault Line which cuts through a large portion of Metro Manila. Analysts say that the fault line is "ripe" for a movement, triggering talk and fears of "The Big One" hitting Metro Manila. Many cities conducted their own earthquake drills with the cooperation of national agencies such as the MMDA. Earthquake preparedness was encouraged throughout the metro. Everyone became interested in the fault line, wondering if they lived on top or close to it. It actually affected the prices of property. Some actually sold their houses to transfer to a more "safe" zone.

But no one can truly be prepared once a powerful earthquake hits. The confusion, fear, and chaos that ensue must be addressed and controlled by concerned agencies of the government and local officials. This is where the importance of these agencies - the fire department, the health officials, rescue units especially the police and the military - must be stressed. Anarchy must be prevented along with panic. We've seen what happened the next day in Tacloban City after Yolanda struck the province. Imagine that kind of a scenario happening in Metro Manila.

In Taiwan, the military was immediately mobilized to help in efforts to search for survivors in the rubble. The key word is control. Control the situation and prevent panic.

The country is located along the so-called "Pacific Ring Of Fire," where countries within this area are prone to earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. We have had our share of devastating volcanic eruptions. Mount Pinatubo was considered extinct until it erupted in 1991, effectively removing the "extinct" classification for volcanoes.

Let's hope we don't have to experience an earthquake of a strong, destructive magnitude, which analysts are saying may happen. Nothing more unsettling than the ground shaking beneath you, with destruction all around.