An earthquake with a magnitude of 7.2 hit the eastern coast of Taiwan early on Wednesday, causing damage to buildings and prompting a tsunami warning.
The earthquake occurred off the coast of Hualien County at 7:58 am local time and was felt throughout the island, including the capital city of Taipei, according to officials.
Taiwan’s fire department reported that at least four people lost their lives and 97 others sustained injuries. Reports from local media suggest that individuals might still be trapped inside their residences.
Wu Chien-fu, the director of the Central Weather Administration’s Seismological Center, stated that this was the most powerful earthquake to strike Taiwan since 1999.
Numerous tall buildings have suffered partial collapses, while landslides have been triggered in various areas due to the earthquake.
Social media videos depict multi-story buildings leaning precariously to one side as a result of the earthquake.
Work and school activities were halted in Hualien, and high-speed rail services in multiple cities were suspended.
The earthquake’s tremors were also felt in various cities in mainland China, including Shanghai, as reported by the Global Times.
Tsunami warnings were issued for southern Japan and the northern regions of the Philippines. Naha Airport in Japan’s Okinawa has ceased all flight operations.
Kyodo, Japan’s news agency, mentioned that small tsunamis reached the southern islands of Yonaguni, Ishigaki, and Miyako. Initially, the country’s meteorological services anticipated a tsunami of up to 3 meters but later revised the projection to a maximum of 1 meter.
