Today, Taiwan was struck by a significant earthquake, claiming four lives and injuring a minimum of 60 individuals. This event also prompted tsunami alerts in Japan and the Philippines. Compelling footage circulating on social media depicts buildings trembling, bridges swaying, and people hastily seeking shelter.
The quake was centered in the mountainous, sparsely populated eastern county of Hualien and had its epicenter at a depth of about 34.8 kilometers. It was the strongest quake to hit the island in 25 years and prompted schools and workplaces to suspend operations, with trains halted across large parts of the capital.
Television broadcast images of buildings tilted at precarious angles in Hualien and elsewhere. A county magistrate said that one nine-story building, the Uranus Building, in the city center collapsed, trapping residents as rescuers searched for them. Another multi-story building in the city’s famous night market district also collapsed.
Residents in central Taipei reported feeling the tremors for more than a minute. Many rushed outside their homes and stood in groups on sidewalks or school playgrounds, while others evacuated classrooms.
The 7.1-magnitude quake lasted about 30 seconds, damaged dozens of buildings, and disrupted power supplies. The government’s national fire agency said over 100 buildings were damaged, half of them in Hualien county.
Some buildings, including a warehouse and a high-rise office building in central Taipei, were completely leveled. The earthquake also dislodged the lettering from the Howard Plaza hotel in the city, leaving only a sign showing its former name. The quake was felt as far away as Tokyo in Japan and in southern China, where it shook office towers and commuters off their buses.
The earthquake also triggered tsunami warnings in Japan and the Philippines, though authorities later said the threat had passed. The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center issued the warning in the early hours of Wednesday morning.
Taiwan lies on a fault line known as the Pacific “Ring of Fire” and is frequently hit by earthquakes. It has strict building codes and disaster preparedness programs that have reduced casualties from quakes in the past.
The quake was felt as far as 200 miles from the epicenter, and jolts were registered in parts of China that claim to be part of its territory. A ministry official said that the Chinese government has sent its sincere condolences to the affected families and people in Taiwan.
The quake was the strongest in Taiwan since a 7.6-magnitude quake in 1999 killed more than 2,400 people on the island. That quake was the worst in the self-governing democratic republic’s history. Taiwan has a world-class seismological network and rigorous building codes to protect against major disasters. NBC News’ Jennifer Jett and Janis Mackey Frayer contributed to this report.
