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Geology
Earthquakes, Mountains, Rivers (See 'Maps' section for topographical views) |
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Taiwan is situated on the edge of the Asiatic
Continental Shelf or ‘Rim of Fire’ where the Philippine
tectonic plate collides with the continent of Asia (which
accounts for the frequent, and occasionally large earthquakes).
Steep limestone mountains rise dramatically out of the sea
on the east (Pacific) coast and were mostly created by fault
action although a few were volcanic in origin (Lanyu &
Green Islands). All of Taiwan’s volcanoes are now extinct,
although numerous hot springs remain located throughout the
island, both as tourist attractions and hidden oasis’. Taiwan has five longitudinal mountain ranges which occupy 1/2 of the island. Only about 1/3 of the total land is arable (farmable). ‘Yushan’ (which literally means ‘Jade Mountain’, and also known as Mt. Morrison) is 3,952m (12,963ft) tall and is the highest peak in Taiwan and South-East Asia (outside the Himalayas). In addition there are over 200 mountains in Taiwan, many of which are great for hikers and climbers including Hsuehshan (extreme), Alishan and Tungpu. There are 151 rivers on the island, many of which are suitable for white-water rafting (Hsiukuluan River and the Laonung River), the longest river being the Choshui River (186km/ 115mi). Taiwan has a high degree of seismic activity due to its location at the junction of the Manila Trench and the Ryukyu Trench along the west side of the Philippine Sea plate. The collision of the two tectonic plates--the Philippine Sea plate and the Eurasia plate--which created the uplift of land that became Taiwan's four major mountain ranges, continue to push against each other. In addition, the Philippine plate has been forced beneath the South China Sea plate to the south. The majority of earthquakes occur off the coast of eastern Taiwan and are deep beneath the seabed causing little damage. Plate tectonics have created numerous fault lines that crisscross the island. The largest earthquakes in the past 100 years include a 7.1 magnitude temblor that killed more than 3,250 people in 1935, and a 6.8 magnitude quake on November 14, 1986, which killed 15 and injured 44. A powerful and devastating earthquake struck at 1:47 a.m. on September 21, 1999, (and is now known as the “9/21” earthquake), toppling high-rise buildings, damaging roads and bridges, and severing powerlines across the island. The quake registered a magnitude of 7.3 on the Richter scale with the epicenter at Chichi township in Nantou County. More than 1,300 aftershocks were reported by the morning of September 22, with the strongest registering a magnitude of 6.8 in central Taiwan. Rebuilding is still going 5 years later but parts of this area weren’t even affected at all, perhaps because of the large amounts of sand used in the concrete in the more rural areas and other poor construction techniques used in the past. According to statistics from the National Fire Administration of the Ministry of the Interior, as of December 30, 1999, the massive "9/21 Earthquake" caused the deaths of 2,415 people, injured 11,305, and left 29 still unaccounted for. The greatest number of casualties was in Taichung County with 1,175 dead and 6,190 injured. On October 22, 1999, another major earthquake occurred 2.5 km northwest of Chiayi City at 10:19 a.m., registering 6.4 on the Richter scale. Although there were no deaths, 122 were injured, ten buildings were severely damaged or collapsed. There were 37 cases of gas leaks, and 4 cases of fire. The release of tectonic energy in the aftershock area of the "921 Earthquake" continued in 2000. Three strong aftershocks with magnitudes of 5.3, 6.7, and 6.1 were reported in the area on May 17, June 11, and July 29, respectively. In addition, a strong earthquake with a magnitude of 6.2 occurred to the north of Hualien in eastern Taiwan on September 10. |
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