Taiwan Earthquake: 1 Dead, 53 Injured As 7.7 Magnitude Quake Hits Taipei

Taiwan has just been struck by a major earthquake with a magnitude of 7.7. This has prompted tsunami warnings for the coastal regions of Taiwan, as well as parts of Japan and the Philippines.

The epicentre of the earthquake lies about 18km south of Hualien county, which was struck just before 8am local time. While the epicentre is in Taiwan’s east coast, the effects of the earthquake could be felt all the way in Taipei.

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The 3 Apr earthquake is the strongest earthquake to hit Taiwan in the last 25 years. As of 11am (SGT), 1 person has been confirmed dead, and at least 50 others have been injured.

Image credit: TVBS News

The earthquake has been felt all across Taiwan. The capital, Taipei, has reported power outages and aftershocks, including a 6.5-magnitude earthquake near Hualien. The strong quake has also resulted in collapsed buildings and landslides. Furthermore, there have been media reports of people being trapped underneath damaged buildings.

Tsunami warnings issued in the Philippines and Japan after the Taiwan earthquake

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Taiwan’s neighbouring country, the Philippines, has issued a tsunami warning and called for people in coastal areas to evacuate. High tsunami waves are expected in coastal areas lying in the northern provinces of Batanes, Cagayan, Illocos Norte and Isabela.

Likewise, Japan has issued an evacuation advisory for coastal areas lying in the southern prefecture of Okinawa. Tsunami waves up to 3 metres high are expected to reach large areas of Japan’s southwestern coast. Additionally, flights from the Okinawa and Kagoshima prefectures have been suspended, according to Japan Airlines.

In China, state media has reported that the earthquake was felt in Fuzhou, Xiamen, Quanzhou and Ningde in the Fujian province.

Taiwan sits on the Pacific Ring of Fire, the line of seismic faults encircling the Pacific Ocean where most of the world’s earthquakes occur. As such, the island is regularly rocked by earthquakes.

The Apr 3 earthquake in Taiwan is the worst earthquake to hit Taiwan since 1999, when a 7.6-magnitude earthquake killed about 2400 people and injured thousands in one of the worst natural disasters in Taiwan’s history.

Taiwanese officials are monitoring the situation. Authorities have cautioned that there may be earthquakes occurring around Taiwan with magnitudes between 6.5 and 7 in the next few days.

This is a developing story.

Featured image credit: Xieyouding via Canva Pro