Strongest Earthquake In 25 Years Hits Taiwan – 7 Dead and 730 Injured
Authorities reported that the earthquake, which struck Taiwan on Wednesday, resulted in at least seven fatalities and nearly 730 injuries. The powerful tremor, the strongest felt on the island in decades, caused significant damage to numerous buildings and triggered tsunami warnings reaching Japan and the Philippines before being lifted. Officials cautioned of potential aftershocks in the coming days.
“The earthquake is close to land and it’s shallow. It’s felt all over Taiwan and offshore islands,” stated Wu Chien-fu, director of Taipei’s Central Weather Administration’s Seismology Center.
Despite the severity of the quake, Taiwan’s strict building regulations and disaster preparedness measures likely averted a more catastrophic outcome. The island, situated near the convergence of two tectonic plates, regularly experiences seismic activity. Wu noted that this quake was the strongest since the devastating 7.6-magnitude event in September 1999, which claimed approximately 2,400 lives, marking it as one of the deadliest natural disasters in Taiwan’s history.
Strongest Earthquake In 25 Years Hits Taiwan – 7 Dead and 730 Injured
The magnitude-7.4 earthquake struck just before 8:00 am local time, with the epicenter located 18 kilometers south of Hualien City. At a depth of 34.8 kilometers, according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS). Fatalities included three hikers crushed by boulders dislodged by the quake. And a truck driver caught in a landslide near a tunnel.
Witnesses across the country shared videos and images on social media depicting swaying buildings and structural damage. President Tsai Ing-wen called for coordinated efforts between local and central government agencies, with the national army providing support. The National Fire Agency confirmed the death toll and reported nearly 60 individuals treated for quake-related injuries.
Initially, Taiwan, Japan, and the Philippines issued tsunami warnings, but these were later lifted by the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center. Despite the brief disruption, normalcy resumed swiftly in Taipei, with the metro restarting operations within an hour. Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, the world’s largest chip maker, experienced temporary interruptions in fabrication, and construction work at various sites was halted for the day.
China, though claiming Taiwan as a renegade province, expressed readiness to provide disaster relief assistance. Social media users in China’s Fujian province and Hong Kong reported feeling tremors from the quake. This event underscores the ongoing seismic risks faced by nations in the region, with Japan notably experiencing frequent earthquakes, including the devastating 2011 earthquake and tsunami disaster.