Prof. Hongey Chen of the Department of Geosciences, who is associate dean of the College of Science, was among the 37 private organizations and individuals that were honored with awards by the Executive Yuan’s Morakot Post-Disaster Reconstruction Council (MPDRC) for their vital contributions to reconstruction efforts in the wake of Typhoon Morakot, which caused deadly flooding and landslides when it struck Taiwan on August 8, 2009.

At an awards ceremony held on August 8, the typhoon’s third anniversary, Prof. Chen was presented with a Contribution Award for leading geological survey teams in conducting safety assessments of mountain communities in the wake of the devastating typhoon. In all, the MPDRC recognized 15 private groups with Special Contribution Awards and 22 groups and individuals with Contribution Awards.

Prof. Chen played a crucial role as a representative of the academic community on the frontlines of the governmentled reconstruction effort in the immediate wake of the typhoon. After the typhoon departed, the MPDRC needed to determine village chiefs. Prof. Chen and his assessment teams conducted 20 meetings in total to ensure that every resident in affected areas understood clearly the safety assessment results and to inform them of the potential risks and challenges facing their homes and local environments. The assessments revealed that over 50% of the residential areas surveyed were unsafe. Though the residents were upset and frustrated by the results, they expressed respect for the professionalism and hard work of the survey teams. From November 2009 to May 2010, Prof. Chen and his teams conducted further safety assessments of indigenous and non-indigenous residential areas impacted by Typhoon Morakot. During this period, they surveyed 185 residential areas in eight major catchment areas. The results were used by the government in formulating reconstruction plans for rebuilding homes and permanent infrastructure. whether the mountainous catchment areas were safe enough for the indigenous communities to return. The council recruited Prof. Chen to assemble and lead scholars and experts in undertaking safety assessments of disasterhit villages. He organized 12 geological survey teams to visit the affected villages, which were scattered around the complex mountain terrain.

For the first stage of the assessments, Prof. Chen mobilized a total of 75 professionals, which included scholars from 14 institutions of higher education, technicians from six technical associations and experts from four private consultation firms. Accompanied by local representatives, the survey teams completed their initial surveys of 64 villages in five counties in just seven days. Just over a month after the typhoon, the MPDRC held an official meeting in Kaohsiung to explain the results of the initial safety assessments. During the meeting, Prof. Chen personally explained the results in detail to affected residents, local council members, township chiefs and village chiefs. Prof. Chen and his assessment teams conducted 20 meetings in total to ensure that every resident in affected areas understood clearly the safety assessment results and to inform them of the potential risks and challenges facing their homes and local environments.

The assessments revealed that over 50% of the residential areas surveyed were unsafe. Though the residents were upset and frustrated by the results, they expressed respect for the professionalism and hard work of the survey teams.From November 2009 to May 2010, Prof. Chen and his teams conducted further safety assessments of indigenous and non-indigenous residential areas impacted by Typhoon Morakot. During this period, they surveyed 185 residential areas in eight major catchment areas. The results were used by the government in formulating reconstruction plans for rebuilding homes and permanent infrastructure.