7.5 magnitude earthquake in Taiwan: 4 dead and 50 injured – At least 26 buildings tilted or collapsed

Author: newsroom  | Published: April 3, 2024

Power cut in Taipei – Flights suspended in Okinawa – Tsunami warning issued in Japan

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At least four dead is the latest toll from the earthquake that struck Taiwan in the early morning (local time) today with 26 buildings reported to have tilted or collapsed in Hualien County, according to the same report.

Since the earthquake there have been emergency tsunami warnings both on the island and in neighbouring countries, particularly in southern Japan and the Philippines, with alerts raised shortly after 6am (local time)

Taiwanese media are reporting that residents are trapped in buildings that collapsed in the island’s Hualien city following the very strong 7.5 magnitude earthquake recorded shortly before 08:00 (Taipei time; 09:00 Tokyo time; 03:00 GMT).

“Two buildings collapsed and there may be trapped people. We have no further information at the moment,” a spokesman for the Hualien fire department was limited to say.

The 7.5 magnitude earthquake struck quite close to the island, triggering the issuance of emergency tsunami warnings in Taiwan itself and on Japanese islands in Okinawa Prefecture (southwest).

An emergency tsunami warning was also issued in the Philippines.

The very strong earthquake, which according to initial estimates was of 7.5 magnitude, occurred off southwestern Japan, the Japanese public television network NHK reported.

According to the Euro-Mediterranean Institute, the tremor was 7.4 magnitude and its epicentre was located 12 kilometres south of Taiwan.

The Japanese Meteorological and Seismological Agency (JMA) estimated that the earthquake was 7.5 magnitude, the Taiwanese counterpart (CWA) estimated that it was 7.2 magnitude, while the US Geological Survey (USGS) estimated that the magnitude was 7.4 magnitude. Dozens of aftershocks were felt in Taipei – at least 25 – five about 5 degrees in the first hour after the main quake.

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Airport authorities in Naha, the largest city in Okinawa, suspended flights after a tsunami warning for the islands.

Aircraft traffic has been suspended since 09:25 (03:25 GMT) as a precautionary measure, a spokesman for the transport ministry in Naha, southwestern Japan, explained, adding that “flights that were due to land (in Naha) will be diverted.”

In Taipei, the capital of Taiwan, a Reuters news agency reporter found that electricity was cut in sectors of the city.

According to Taipower, an electricity company, at least 87,000 households are without power.

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