Prepared for Disaster

On September 21, 1999, a 7.3 earthquake struck central Taiwan at 1:47 a.m. It claimed 2,415 lives, injured some 11,300, left an estimated 100,000 temporarily homeless, and caused widespread property damage. It was the second most destructive quake ever to hit the island.

Members in the affected areas assisted search-and-rescue efforts, helping pull victims from demolished buildings and participating in ongoing relief and reconstruction efforts.

Members in Taipei and Kaohsiung collected water, food, blankets, and other supplies such as butane gas and stoves and rushed them to affected areas. Elder Liang Shih-an (Kent) 梁世安, Area Authority Seventy for Taiwan, called for a special fast, with fast-offering donations going toward earthquake relief funds. Church headquarters in Salt Lake City sent $25,000 USD to the Taiwan earthquake committee.

Missionaries of the Taiwan Taichung Mission devoted themselves to community disaster relief. When the Tzu Chi Buddhist Benevolent Society requested help with labor for building temporary housing, dozens of missionaries biked to the site in Chung Hsing to work side by side with Buddhist volunteers, pouring foundations and hauling concrete blocks.

News outlets reported on the many Church members who had been prepared for the quake ahead of time with bright orange 72-hour emergency kit backpacks, distributed for local Church preparedness activities.