Powerful earthquake occurred in Taiwan
Seismologists recorded tremors of over 4 magnitude (Illustrative photo: Getty Images)
A 6.4-magnitude earthquake struck the mountainous rural area near the city of Chiayi in southern Taiwan. Some residents became trapped in damaged buildings, reports Reuters.
The earthquake caused buildings to shake in the capital, Taipei. According to the meteorological service, the tremors occurred shortly after midnight local time at a depth of 9.4 km (6 miles), with the epicenter in the town of Dapu in Chiayi county.
The fire department reported that several people became trapped in damaged buildings in Tainan, some of whom have already been rescued.
The fire department of Chiayi city also mentioned that no reports of major casualties have been received from the city. However, a local official from Dapu informed Reuters that power outages occurred in some villages, and buildings sustained damage.
The fire department of Dapu informed the agency that there were no obvious signs of a disaster.
Taiwan's meteorological service reported that there are minor damages.
TSMC, a semiconductor manufacturer, evacuated staff from its factories in central and southern Taiwan, and all personnel were safe.
The science park in Tainan, where major factories including TSMC are located, also reported the evacuation of workers from the buildings.
Earthquakes in Taiwan
Taiwan is located at the intersection of two tectonic plates and is prone to earthquakes. In 1906, the Meishan earthquake near the city of Chiayi claimed the lives of more than 1,200 people.
More than 100 people died during an earthquake in southern Taiwan in 2016, and in 1999, a 7.3-magnitude earthquake took the lives of over 2,000 people.
The last major earthquake in Taiwan occurred on April 3, 2024, when tremors with a magnitude of 7.2 struck Hualien County on the eastern coast, resulting in 13 fatalities.
On December 24, tremors with a magnitude of 4.6 were recorded on the island at a depth of 16.5 km.
