By Hu Yong-cheng | Taipei
Ground subsidence occurred near Lane 92, Section 2, Minquan East Road, Zhongshan District, Taipei, on the afternoon of the 10th. The ground floor of a two-story residential building experienced significant subsidence and water accumulation. Fortunately, no injuries or fatalities were reported. Authorities immediately turned their attention to a nearby construction site, establishing a safety perimeter and implementing emergency safety measures.
Following the incident, Taipei Deputy Mayor Chang Wen-te visited the site to assess the situation and receive briefings from technical specialists and relevant city government departments.
According to the Taipei City Construction Management Office’s preliminary investigation, excavation and earth-retaining work at the adjacent construction site may have caused localized damage to an underground diaphragm wall, allowing water and sand to seep through. This may have resulted in soil loss and localized ground subsidence.
The construction site has been ordered to suspend all operations. Responsibility for the incident remains subject to further investigation and professional assessment.
Heavy construction equipment and city government personnel were observed carrying out on-site safety measures. The cause of the incident remains subject to professional investigation.
Zhongshan District Chief Huang Ming-hong, Xinsheng Village Chief Tseng Kuo-yi, local elected representatives, and their service teams also arrived to assess the situation.
According to the reporter’s observations at the scene, nearby residents expressed considerable concern about the safety of their homes during construction and the arrangements for subsequent repairs.
Ground subsidence occurred near Lane 92, Section 2, Minquan East Road, Zhongshan District, Taipei. City officials and local representatives visited the site in the rain to assess the situation.
Nearby residents told the reporter that several houses in the area are situated close to one another, with some owned by members of the same family. Questions concerning foundation stability and structural safety between the construction site and neighboring buildings still require further clarification by the relevant authorities.
Some residents also reported having previously noticed abnormalities in walls, door frames, and floors.
Public reports further indicated that Xinsheng Village Chief Tseng Kuo-yi said some nearby residents had noticed distorted door frames, cracks, and sloping floors more than a month before the incident.
Relevant Taipei City Government departments are continuing on-site safety monitoring and follow-up measures.
The precise cause of the subsidence, responsibility for the construction-related damage, and the extent of the affected area should ultimately be determined through subsequent assessments by qualified civil and structural engineers and the competent authorities.
When the reporter left the scene, rain was still falling in Taipei, while personnel continued implementing safety measures at the construction site and in the surrounding area.
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