Written by Tzu-Ming Liu.
Image credit: 2009.08-莫拉克颱風之後-高雄甲仙鄉小林村6 by 柯金源/ Flickr, license: CC BY-NC 2.0.
Introduction
The Morakot Typhoon in 2009 was one of the most severe natural disasters in Taiwan’s modern history. The heavy rainfall and subsequent landslides caused devastating impacts on Indigenous communities, rural areas, and remote regions. Throughout my involvement in post-disaster rescue and rebuilding efforts, I deeply felt the significant challenges posed by climate change to vulnerable communities, as well as the shortcomings of existing policies in addressing these challenges. Based on my firsthand experience in the rescue and rebuilding efforts following the Morakot disaster and as a member of the Southern Tribal Reconstruction Alliance, this article explores the issues of vulnerability and adaptation strategies under climate change and offers specific policy recommendations. While issues such as infrastructure reconstruction and disaster prevention planning have been widely discussed, one issue has long been overlooked—the trauma syndrome experienced by disaster companions (empowerment workers) and the obstacles they’ve encountered in post-disaster reconstruction. These companions, often seen as rescuers, tend to have their psychological issues neglected, as they do not receive trauma treatment like the disaster victims. Furthermore, their insufficient communication with the government also hinders the progress of post-disaster reconstruction. This article particularly focuses on this issue, emphasizing the need for policy and institutional improvements to enhance community resilience and post-disaster adaptation.
Climate Change and Taiwan’s Vulnerability
The Morakot Typhoon revealed Taiwan’s significant vulnerability to climate change, both geographically and socially. On the one hand, Taiwan lies within the Northwest Pacific typhoon belt, facing multiple threats from heavy rainfall and typhoons every year. The geological fragility of mountainous areas makes them highly susceptible to severe landslides and mudslides during heavy rain. On the other hand, many vulnerable communities, including indigenous peoples and rural residents, live in high-risk areas and lack sufficient disaster prevention infrastructure and resources, leading to inadequate disaster response capabilities.
During the Morakot Typhoon, many remote areas were cut off from the outside world due to road blockages, and rescue supplies could not reach them in time, leaving residents in extreme danger. I witnessed the near-total destruction of many communities’ already outdated infrastructure, reflecting the long-term neglect of disaster risk management.
The uniqueness of Indigenous tribes lies in their deep emotional connection to land and culture. Yet, the government’s reconstruction efforts have largely overlooked the needs of tribal residents, especially in terms of resettlement and land policies. The lack of sufficient dialogue and coordination led to increased mistrust of the government among tribal members, causing the reconstruction process to stall.
The Role of the Southern Tribal Reconstruction Alliance
After the Morakot disaster, the establishment of the “Southern Tribal Reconstruction Alliance” became a significant milestone in the reconstruction process. This alliance, composed of disaster-stricken community residents, scholars, volunteers, and social activist groups, aimed to promote a more equitable and locally tailored reconstruction plan through cross-community cooperation and grassroots action.
The alliance’s distinctive feature was its community-centred reconstruction model. It fully respected the culture and traditional wisdom of Indigenous peoples, helping affected communities not only restore infrastructure but also rebuild cultural and social structures. For instance, in the reconstruction plans designed by the alliance, traditional settlement designs were combined with modern building techniques while preserving land and cultural rights to provide local residents with living spaces better suited to their needs. They also promoted community-led reconstruction, enhancing the community’s autonomy through skills training and resource integration.
However, the Southern Tribal Reconstruction Alliance faced numerous challenges in pushing forward its efforts, including unequal distribution of government resources, insufficient understanding of tribal needs by external parties, and rigidity in policy implementation. Some members of the alliance, who were juggling multiple roles, had to continue working in high-pressure and high-risk situations, which directly contributed to the psychological health issues discussed in the next section.
Trauma Syndrome of Disaster Companions (Empowerment Workers) and Obstacles to Post-Disaster Reconstruction
Disaster companions, such as members of the Southern Tribal Reconstruction Alliance, play a crucial role in connecting disaster victims with external resources. However, their psychological health is often overlooked. These companions, who accompany disaster victims for extended periods, endure immense pressure, emotional burdens, and constant challenges from the disaster environment, which may lead to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Yet, as they are regarded as rescuers, their psychological issues often do not receive the same attention or treatment as those of the disaster victims.
Furthermore, the pressure and burnout experienced by these companions are often exacerbated by their communication with government agencies. Current communication frequently involves confrontation and opposition. These challenges, particularly stemming from PTSD, have persisted since the Morakot Typhoon disaster. Despite the ongoing nature of these issues, both the government and civil society organizations have yet to fully recognize the psychological burdens carried by disaster companions and the subsequent impact on communication. While such confrontational approaches might have initially helped draw attention to resource needs, over time, they have become a habitual mode of interaction, limiting efficiency and outcomes. This not only hinders the reconstruction process but also further affects the rights and interests of disaster victims.
To address this issue, the government should establish specialized mental health support mechanisms for companions, offering appropriate counselling and trauma treatment. Additionally, more effective communication mechanisms should be designed to reduce adversarial emotions. For example, collaborating with experts from social organizations can help better understand the actual needs of disaster victims and act as a bridge between the government and communities. Moreover, the government should establish a database of scholars and experts, detailing their specialities and research areas, to quickly select suitable candidates for disaster planning and communication.
In this process, the participation of tribal residents is crucial. Since some scholars and experts may have a negative reputation in the tribes, the suitability of the experts in the database should be evaluated by the tribe or individuals recognized by the tribe to ensure they can truly assist the community. These measures will not only enhance the efficiency of post-disaster reconstruction but also prevent delays in the process due to psychological issues and communication barriers.
Conclusion
The experience of the Morakot Typhoon made me deeply realize that the challenges posed by climate change are not only about the natural disasters themselves but also about how we respond to these disasters, particularly in supporting disaster companions. The Southern Tribal Reconstruction Alliance demonstrated a community-centred approach to reconstruction, but the psychological health of companions and improvements in communication models still need to be strengthened. Future disaster response and reconstruction policies must more comprehensively address the needs of companions and emphasize mental health and effective communication to truly enhance society’s resilience and inclusiveness in the face of climate change.
Currently, Taiwan’s climate adaptation policies, spatial planning, resource management, and technological development have intersected in initiatives such as strengthening water infrastructures, promoting nature-based methods, and building smart cities. However, there are still noticeable gaps in the implementation of these policy tools. For instance, the focus of policy implementation is often placed on urban areas, with insufficient resource allocation to rural and indigenous tribal areas, reflecting social justice issues in Taiwan’s climate adaptation efforts. Indigenous peoples, who live in high-risk areas such as mountains and coastal regions, have historically lost land rights due to colonial relationships, and due to biased policy resources, they have not received adequate support, further exacerbating the inequalities caused by climate change.
To effectively respond to these challenges, future climate adaptation strategies should integrate more social justice perspectives, balance resource allocation between urban and rural areas, and respect the cultural rights and land claims of indigenous peoples. Additionally, the government should establish a more inclusive policy framework, such as creating adaptation strategies tailored to tribal needs and setting up inter-departmental cooperation mechanisms to more swiftly respond to risks brought by disasters. Furthermore, policies for mental health support for companions and social organizations, as well as the establishment of effective communication models, are essential steps in realizing social inclusion and climate resilience.
Overall, Taiwan’s challenges in climate adaptation are not just technical and resource-related issues but also questions of how policy design can address environmental disparities and social inequality. Through diverse, localized, and inclusive strategies, we can truly confront the complex challenges brought by climate change and build a safer and fairer living environment for future generations.
This article was published as part of a special issue on ‘Navigating Climate Adaptation Challenges in Taiwan’.
Taiwan Insight 