Taiwan's western coastal region includes Keelung, Taipei, Hsinchu, Taichung, Changhua, Yunlin, Chiayi, Tainan, and Kaohsiung. The west faces earthquake, typhoon, flood, and tsunami risks. With dense population and economic importance, disaster impact is greatest. Western earthquake risk stems from multiple active faults including the Sanyi fault.
Taiwan's eastern region includes Yilan, Hualien, and Taitung. The east faces earthquake, typhoon, and debris flow risks. With lower population, the east experiences the most active seismicity. Hualien and Taitung, near plate boundaries, have high earthquake frequency and intensity. Mountain debris flow risk is also high due to heavy rainfall and steep slopes.
Western typhoon risk is higher as typhoons typically make landfall from the southeast, first affecting the east but also impacting western coastal areas. Western flood risk stems from river flooding, especially during plum rain and typhoon seasons.
Eastern earthquake risk is higher due to location on the active subduction zone. The 2024 Hualien earthquake exemplifies this region's seismic activity. Eastern infrastructure is less developed, potentially limiting disaster response capability compared to the west.