by Lee Gwanju
Published 26 Jan.2025 15:49(KST)
A magnitude 6.4 earthquake occurred in the southern region of Taiwan, raising concerns about the multipurpose dam in the area.
According to Taiwanese media such as Liberty Times on the 26th, aftershocks have been concentrated near the Zengwen Dam, which supplies irrigation water to the Tainan area. Completed in 1973, the Zengwen Dam is the largest dam in Taiwan, with a height of 128 meters, a length of 400 meters, and a total storage capacity of 780 million tons.
The Central Weather Bureau (CWB) of Taiwan reported that 108 aftershocks occurred from the earthquake on the 21st until the morning of the 26th. The Ministry of Economic Affairs' Water Resources Agency inspected the dam and stated that there are no safety issues.
However, locally, there are suggestions that the possibility of a larger earthquake cannot be ruled out and that surrounding areas should prepare for emergencies. It is also analyzed that since the Zengwen Dam is an "earthfill dam" with concrete only on the dam crest, it is strong against earthquakes but relatively vulnerable to impacts or floods.
Meanwhile, Lai Ching-te, former mayor of Tainan and current President of Taiwan, visited the affected areas of Tainan City where the earthquake occurred the previous afternoon to console the affected households. At the site, he also announced that the central government and local authorities plan to provide support at the same level as for the magnitude 7.2 earthquake that occurred in the eastern Hualien region in April last year.
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