Chicago students in Taiwan during earthquake 

I lived in Taiwan for two years as an American. It is a great country with great people. It is actually impressive that only a handful of buildings collapsed. An earthquake of similar magnitude struck Taiwan in 1999 and caused thousands of deaths, so after that Taiwan implemented strict building codes to make buildings safer during earthquakes. They also have a beacon system in the ocean that detects earthquakes 20 seconds before they happen and sends an emergency alert to all phones so that people can take cover. Besides earthquakes, Taiwan is an incredibly safe country with little crime. It is a country that went from a dictatorship to a full democracy in the past 20-30 years, which is also impressive. I hope these students continue to enjoy their trip.

Even with an earthquake they are safer in Taiwan than in Chicago. Isn't that pathetic.

I am in Taipei on a business trip. This quake makes me really sad about the state of America. We have rampant crimes everywhere in the US, people attacking people for no reason and government has zero care for its citizens' wellbeing or safety. In Taiwan, people are generally very nice to start with, and when others are in need, especially in a natural disaster, people rush out to help a fellow human being, no question asked. Government officials are on the ground, talking without a script or teleprompter, and directing recovery efforts and ensure the first responders are fully resourced. They don't play politics or try to be politically correct - they stick to the facts and telling citizens what happened and providing clear expectation on what infrastructure services are disrupted and expected restoration. It really feels like the government is serving its people instead of the other way around as it is in the US.

Good building codes were implemented. The legislature acted after the last big quake, and the government enforced the laws effectively. This proves its democracy works.

Taiwan Is a beautiful Country!

God bless the victims of the earthquake and their families.

God help Taiwan

I thank God that the stude ts are safeMay the Lord protect them to return safely to Chicago.

It’s still safer in Taiwan that it is in Chicago

The students are in total shock to experience an earthquake in another country.

God bless The beautiful country-Taiwan.

That'll be an unforgettable experience and memory for them. For me, grew up in Taiwan, still remember the moment of the earthquakes I experienced.

I am Taiwanese Let me update you on the current situation. The affected areas are mainly cities near the epicenter (Hualien), and the rescue team has arrived The railway has resumed operation Road transport has been coordinated with sea transport Although aftershocks continue, other city operations have not been affected Taiwan's semiconductor industry has also returned to normal In the past time, God has asked us to practice earthquake prevention and disaster relief many times. Please do not worry. Thanks

Interesting that in a 7.4, thateat the only building ever showing any real foundational damage is that one red brick one.

I hope they are all okay!!!

They’ll have a story to tell

Prayers 💖

I have Pokémon Go friends over there, I hope they are ok.

Really nice of WGN News to cover this.

🙏❤️🙏❤️🙏❤️🙏❤️We are praying for you all!!

Stay safe and have a nice trip in Taiwan! ❤

I experienced my first 7 range earthquake when I was 12 years old. It was also a 7.4 and it wasn't anywhere near the first earthquake I had experienced and I was sleeping in my own bed when it woke me up. That's the only earthquake I've been in that actually made me feel afraid. It's the largest earthquake I've been in but it's only the first out of four total magnitude 7 range earthquakes that I've experienced in my life. Your best chance if you're in a building is to take cover towards the central part of the building or to be outside. If you try to go between the two once it's bad, you are causing yourself more risk. Glad all these young people are okay and clearly now ready to visit us here in California already knowing what to do when Mother Earth decides to try to pull the ground out from under you.

Don’t worry too much. Major earthquakes in Taiwan occur roughly every 25 years. The 921 earthquake in 1999 was the biggest earthquake I’ve ever experienced. The epicenter was in Nantou, and the quake was so powerful that it caused the ground to arch up to the height of two stories. The second floor became the first floor, and the first floor was buried underground like a basement. After 25 years, the Hualien earthquake occurred, but based on time estimates, it might be another 25 years before we encounter another earthquake over magnitude 7. After the release of energy, Taiwan is actually safer.

They should have pitched in and tried to help in the rescue efforts. That could have been the biggest adventure ever. American teens, soft, digital, pleasure seeking, probably would be appalled at such suggestions.

I guess it's time. One of the largest earthquakes in Illinois according to the map was in May of 1909, when a 5.1 magnitude earthquake registered the Chicago suburb of Lockport.

im taiwanese, athough 7.4M sounds really terrify, but it happended in east of Taiwan which is not many people, so the damage is not like 1999/9/21 devastating. We used to earthquake, always says "small one you don't need to run, big one you have no place to run, so just chill."

I go to St Ignatius. It's kinda cool seeing people I know on the news... On the other hand not so nice that they were in the middle of an earthquake...

They from chi town?

The students experienced the life or death earthquake some will think the value of the life and be kinder to others. That's the major harvest of this trip, who care the mandarin.

Safer there, than CHICAGO. .

And now the next day 4/5 an earthquake of 7.4 hits the east coast in New Jersey all the way to PA.

祝福大家，愿你们生活在和谐与安全之中……阿弥陀佛

Was the earthquake during the thumbnail? That is a funny way to take a group photo

Lady " we don't have earthquakes in chicago" Me: "LADY DON'T JINX US" 😂😂😂

And yesterday New York had earthquake 😢🌹🙏🌹❤️

Okay.

🇹🇼

台灣擔心 🙏

Thats alot of DAMAGE?

🇺🇸🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🇺🇸

🇹🇼🇹🇼🇹🇼

The students experienced shaking….darn what stupid questions 🙄🙄

Prayers to the same god that did the earthquake in the first place

Is, a group is*

Thrifty construction practices. The buildings' angles reflect this.

😲

They leave one disaster zone to find themselves in another, so sad.

CaseOh, get out of Taiwan!

🤣🎉🎉🎉

This is why you don't go to third world countries.

My deepest sympathy for those US soldiers who died and were seriously injured while stationing in the province of Taiwan.

After the earthquake, Taiwan has started to demolish a building with living animals still in it, such as pet cats, chickens. Now only a few have escaped from the building. There are still at least three cats and two chicken in the building. People suspect that one cat was already killed by the heavy demolition machine. Despite animal rescue groups' effort, the demolition team repeatedly ignored people's requests to provide any food to the chicken on the building top. So basically they are starving the chicken to death day by day right in front of the camera. At one point of time, even hang one of the chicken upside down for minutes. It was such a horrible scene. One of the chicken's leg is tied up by a rope, she can't escape and has to wait for her death there without any food and water. Ironically, the blatant disregard of animal lives shown by the demolition team was ordered by Taiwan government in name of public safety. The so-called demolition has effectively become live shows of animal abuse on many news channels in Taiwan, that goes on for days and attracts more than tens of thousands of people to their chat rooms every day.

Meh, Future Democrats 😂😂😂

It was a “wash?” Such poor wording for a crippling tragedy! What if the earthquake caused a tsunami? Would that little hangup still be called a “wash?” Please let that writer know, that was inappropriate!