A powerful earthquake of 7.0 magnitude on the Richter scale rocked Taiwan on Saturday, according to the country's Central Weather Bureau. The tremor hit the northeastern coastal city of Yilan at 11:05 PM local time, with the epicenter located 32.3 km east of Yilan County Hall. The earthquake’s epicenter was situated at coordinates 24.69°N, 122.08°E, with a depth of 72.8 km (45 miles). The shaking was felt across the island, including in the capital, Taipei, where buildings shook due to the force of the quake. Taiwan’s National Fire Agency reported that assessments for potential damage are currently underway.
Taiwan's fire agency shares safety guidelines
As the earthquake struck late at night, Taiwan’s fire agency took to X (formerly Twitter) to share safety guidelines for residents. The agency advised people to immediately protect themselves, stay away from any objects that could cause harm, keep shoes and a torch near their beds, remain calm, and wait for the shaking to stop before moving, especially due to possible aftershocks.
The Taipei city government said there were no immediate reports of injuries or damage following the quake.
Taiwan frequently experiences earthquakes because it lies in a highly active seismic zone where major tectonic plates meet. The island has witnessed deadly quakes in the past, including a powerful earthquake in southern Taiwan in 2016 that killed over 100 people, and an even more devastating 7.3-magnitude quake in 1999 that claimed more than 2,000 lives.
Days after strong tremor in southeastern coastal county of Taitung
This 7 magnitude earthquake occurred only three days after another strong tremor hit Taiwan’s southeastern coastal county of Taitung. According to the island’s weather administration, that earlier quake measured 6.1 in magnitude and struck on Wednesday. The shaking was felt as far as the capital, Taipei, and the earthquake had a shallow depth of about 11.9 kilometres, increasing its impact.
