In the early hours of Sept. 21, 1999, a magnitude 7.3 earthquake struck Taiwan. Within 45 seconds, over 2,000 people lost their lives and property damage amounted to billions of dollars. Fortunately, the epicenter was not in a densely populated metropolitan area, for the loss of life and property would have been incalculable, given that Taiwan has the world's second highest population density. International media reported on the quake's destruction, but unfortunately, because coverage was not sufficiently in-depth or comprehensive, the world was given the mistaken impression that the whole of Taiwan is unsafe.
In fact, the epicenter of the earthquake was located in the center of Taiwan in Chichi, Nantou Country, in the central mountain range 200 km south of Taipei. The area seriously affected was confined to Nantou County, and a number of rural and urban townships of neighboring Taichung County. Other parts of Taiwan, the northern, eastern and southern parts, together with the offshore islands are all safe. Moreover, domestic and overseas transportation, as well as electricity and water supplies, are in normal operation and there have been no breakouts of disease, which often accompany disasters.
Immediately following the earthquake, the government set up a disaster-relief center, actively organized the resettlement of people in affected areas, kept transportation open and repaired basic utilities. The government also established a reconstruction committee to strengthen the effectiveness of the implementation of postdisaster reconstruction projects. In addition to the efforts of government agencies, the business sector, private organizations and citizens throughout the country also worked enthusiastically to rebuild the affected areas. At present, all roads and bridges in these areas have been restored, and sightseeing spots in central Taiwan are recovering.