Department of Sports, Taipei City Government

The Geotechnical Engineering Office (GEO) organized mudslide prevention education camps at Xishan Experimental Elementary School and Wuxing Elementary School respectively on May 19 and May 20. The event attracted a total of 45 students.
 
The instructors from the Disaster Prevention Promotion Team of Feng Chia University handled the planning and implementation of the program. The classes started with storytelling to familiarize the audience with the concept of mudslides. In the second part of the program, kids tried out the “Tree Planting Augmented Reality (AR)” application, teaching the participant on the dangers of mudslide and the functions of emergency evacuation items. The classes concluded with a Q&A session on some of the knowledges on mudslide prevention and response measures.
 
According to statistics published by the Executive Yuan’s Council of Agriculture in 2022, there are a total of 50 creeks and rivers in Taipei City which are prone to landslides. Among these, 10 rivers have the potential to endanger nearby communities.
 
In an effort to raise awareness of landslides and mudslides, GEO initiated the mudslide prevention education campaign in 2014. Every year, the agency selects a number of elementary schools located in neighborhoods with landslide risks as venue for the mudslide prevention education camps. The purpose is to educate young kids on the importance of soil conservation and responses to mudslides.
 
Chief Chu of GEO’s Mud/Rockslide Control Section remarked that the campaign highlights interactive games, seeking to educate elementary school kids through fun and amusement. Complicated concept descriptions are replaced by photos and video clips, allowing participating students and faculty members to have an easier time absorbing related knowledge on mudslide prevention.