Massive 7.2 Magnitude Earthquake Strikes Taiwan, Shakes Region

A powerful 7.2 magnitude earthquake hit Taiwan early on Wednesday, marking the strongest seismic event the island has experienced in over two decades. The quake, centered near the sparsely populated eastern county of Hualien, caused widespread disruption, including building collapses, power outages across the capital Taipei, and a series of aftershocks felt throughout the island. Local television footage revealed the extent of damage in Hualien, with buildings shown at dangerous angles, though initial reports indicated no fatalities.

The earthquake, occurring at 07.58 am local time at a relatively shallow depth of 15.5 km, prompted tsunami warnings for neighboring regions, including southern Japan and the Philippines. Japan’s weather agency observed small tsunami waves in Okinawa, later downgrading the warning to an advisory. The Philippines urged coastal residents to seek higher ground, highlighting the quake’s far-reaching impact, felt as far away as Shanghai and China’s Fujian province.

Taiwan’s response to the disaster was swift, with emergency services quickly mobilizing to assess and address the damage. Despite the significant disruption, including more than 87,000 households losing power, major infrastructure such as Taipei’s MRT and the high-speed rail network reported no lasting damage. The Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., a key player in the global tech industry, confirmed the evacuation of some facilities but assured that safety systems remained operational. The event recalls the tragic 1999 quake that claimed thousands of lives, underlining the region’s vulnerability to seismic activity.

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