Major dams in South Taiwan remain secure: WRA officials

Simultaneous inspections of all dams, including Tsengwen, Nanhua, Wushantou, and Hutoubi in the adjacent Tainan County, show no signs for immediate alarms, said officials at the WRA and Taiwan Water Co. under the Ministry of Economic Affairs.

Close examinations were conducted instantly after the strong earthquake of Richter magnitude 6.4 struck near Jiasian Township in Kaohsiung County early Thursday morning, said the officials.

But enhancement work will be carried while monitoring activities will be intensified due to the approaching of the new rain season.

Several steel pipes for irrigation water supply at Wushantou (Black Mountain Top) Reservoir ruptured and some cracks appeared on the roads at Hutoubi (Tiger Head Dam) following the strongest quake jolt in a century in the Kaohsiung area.

The damaged pipes and cracks can be repaired and enhanced soon while the whole structures of the dams remain intact, said the officials.

Officials at the Seismology Center (SC) of the Central Weather Bureau (CWB) reported that close to 300 aftershocks were recorded as yesterday.

They said the frequency of aftershocks will continue dwindling, but some more are still expected to take place in coming days.

There is no need to panic because the aftershocks will be mostly rather mild, they said.

Concerning the “mysterious fault” underground mentioned by some researchers, CWB officials said the latest quake took place most at the west end of the series of east-west “fragmented fault lines” extending from Tsaozhou to Chishan areas.

Seismologists at the bureau under the Ministry of Transportation and Communications and geologists at the Central Geological Survey (CGS) under the Ministry of Economic Affairs said they will be able to more accurately identify the exact sizes and locations of the belts “fragmented fault lines” after the following the aftershocks come to an end.

The Kaohsiung County Government has instructed local administrators to carry out a survey of households affected by the quake and those sustained severe damages will be eligible for temporary settlement and monetary subsidies.

The Red Cross Society of the ROC said the prefab houses built for flood victims in August last year will be available for the quake victims and students.

The organization is also arranging shipment of relief goods to the areas.

Officials at the Ministry of Education said a total of five schools in Tainan and Chiayi counties suspended classes due to the strong jolts.

But all classes will be resumed Monday as students will be allowed to temporarily use facilities at neighboring schools while repair and reconstruction work is being carried out, they said.

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