Earthquake in Taiwan causing agitation across Japan

A powerful earthquake struck Taiwan on Wednesday, resulting in at least seven fatalities and nearly 730 injuries. The quake damaged numerous buildings and prompted tsunami warnings that stretched beyond Japan and the Philippines before being lifted. According to officials, it was the strongest earthquake to hit the island in decades, and there are concerns about potential aftershocks in the days ahead.

Wu Chien-fu, director of Taipei’s Central Weather Administration’s Seismology Center, described the earthquake as shallow and widely felt across Taiwan and nearby islands. Despite its intensity, strict building regulations and disaster preparedness efforts likely mitigated the extent of the damage. Taiwan is no stranger to earthquakes, given its location near the convergence of two tectonic plates.

The magnitude-7.4 earthquake struck just before 8:00 am local time, with its epicenter located 18 kilometers south of Hualien City at a depth of 34.8 kilometers. Tragically, three hikers were crushed to death by boulders dislodged during their early morning trek. At the same time, a truck driver perished in a landslide near a tunnel. Images broadcast on local TV depicted tilted multi-story buildings in Hualien and other areas, along with the collapse of a warehouse in New Taipei City.

President Tsai Ing-wen urged coordination among local and central government agencies, with support from the national army.

[Image Source: Al Jazeera]