Taiwan hit by 7.2 earthquake, at least 4 dead, tsunami warnings out
- In Reports
- 11:58 AM, Apr 03, 2024
- Myind Staff
On Wednesday, a massive 7.2 earthquake struck Taiwan's east coast, marking the most powerful tremor experienced on the island in at least 25 years. Following the earthquake, authorities in Taiwan, Japan, and the Philippines have issued tsunami warnings and evacuation advisories for residents residing in coastal areas.
According to the Taiwan government, four people died in Hualien and more than 50 were injured. At least 26 buildings have collapsed, more than half in Hualien, with about 20 people trapped and rescue work ongoing, it said.
The quake hit at 7:58 a.m. local time Wednesday and measured 7.4 in magnitude, according to the US Geological Survey, which said it was located 18 kilometres from Hualien City, in the island’s east. Taiwan’s Central Weather Administration gauged the event at 7.2 on the Richter scale.
The earthquake was felt in Shanghai and various provinces along China's southeastern coast, as well as in southern Japan. Taiwan is situated along the Pacific "Ring of Fire," which is a zone of seismic faults encircling the Pacific Ocean, known for a high frequency of earthquakes worldwide.
According to Taiwan's weather authorities, this seismic event is the most significant in magnitude since 1999, when the devastating 921 earthquake struck the island, claiming the lives of over 2,000 people. Numerous aftershocks have been reported, primarily concentrated along the east coast of the island.
“The earthquake is close to land and it's shallow. It's felt all over Taiwan and offshore islands... it's the strongest in 25 years since the (1999) earthquake," Wu Chien-fu told reporters.
Japan’s weather agency said several small tsunami waves reached parts of the southern prefecture of Okinawa, and later downgraded the earlier tsunami warning to an advisory. It put the earthquake’s magnitude at 7.7.
The Philippines Seismology Agency also issued a warning for residents in coastal areas of several provinces, urging them to evacuate to higher ground.
Taiwan also issued a tsunami warning but reported no damage from that, and the Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre in Hawaii later said the risk of damaging tsunami waves had now largely passed.
Hualien announced plans to shut down offices and schools Wednesday in the wake of the event. The island’s power provider, meanwhile, said nuclear power plant operations remain normal and power distribution in Taiwan had stabilized.
Taiwan’s two nuclear power stations were not affected by the temblor, Taipower added.
Taiwan’s high-speed rail operator said no damage or injuries were reported on its trains, but noted trains will be delayed while it carries out inspections.
Semiconductor giant Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co said it had evacuated some fabrication plants and its safety systems were operating normally.
“To ensure the safety of personnel, some fabs were evacuated according to company procedure. We are currently confirming the details of the impact,” according to the company.
Image source: X
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