To strengthen post-disaster environmental recovery capabilities, the Ministry of Environment (MOENV) and the Nantou County Government jointly held a "Post-disaster Environmental Recovery and Disinfection Coordination Drill" on June 25, with participation from several departments of environmental protection in central Taiwan. The drill focused on inter-county and city collaboration, fully showcasing the strong integration and responsiveness of central and local authorities in disaster response and resource coordination.
The exercise simulated a powerful typhoon making landfall in Budai Township, Chiayi County, triggering days of heavy rainfall in Nantou’s mountainous areas and resulting in multiple landslides. Simultaneously, a magnitude 6.7 earthquake was imagined to strike off the coast of Hualien, causing the collapse of aging buildings in Caotun Township and Nantou City as well as damaging temporary waste storage sites and idle incineration facilities and toppling roadside trees. The drill covered operations such as debris and landslide cleanup, emergency facility repairs, and disinfection of affected areas. Twelve vehicles and various disinfection machines were mobilized, along with sanitation personnel, to demonstrate post-disaster response and disinfection procedures. Participants operated fully equipped under the scorching sun, reflecting their professionalism and commitment to protecting public health and environmental safety.
This drill specifically addressed rapid cleanup and disinfection of roadblocks, rubble, and landslides caused by extreme weather, testing the responsiveness of all units to emergencies, as well as the effectiveness of command coordination and resource mobilization between central and local governments. The MOENV noted that the drill not only simulated realistic disaster conditions but also successfully verified the practical application of the Environmental Management Information System during operations. The system ensures that environmental recovery can be swiftly initiated after a disaster, followed by the standardized operations sequence of “inspect, arrive, clean, and scrub” to minimize the risk of disease outbreaks, such as dengue fever, caused by deteriorating environmental conditions.
In the face of increasingly severe natural disasters and the challenges of climate change, the MOENV emphasized its commitment to continually integrating AI technology and disaster response decision-support systems to enhance cross-regional and cross-agency emergency coordination capabilities. This drill also demonstrated the solid cooperation between central and local governments and strengthened the real-time response and integration abilities of all participating units. The ministry called on all levels of government to continue improving post-disaster coordination and dispatch mechanisms and encouraged local agencies to optimize response procedures through practical drills. The goal is to build a safe and healthy living environment where citizens can quickly return to normal life after a disaster while reducing environmental and public health risks.