BREAKING NEWS: In the early hours of Wednesday morning, Taiwan was struck by a significant earthquake, causing buildings to collapse and setting off tsunami alerts across the region, including in Japan and the Philippines.
According to Taiwanese officials, the earthquake, which occurred during the morning rush hour, resulted in at least 9 fatalities and 963 injuries. The magnitude of 7.4, as measured by the U.S. Geological Survey, marked it as the strongest quake experienced since 1999. The epicenter was near Hualien, an eastern city, and the quake’s shallow depth of approximately 35 kilometers (22 miles) intensified its impact. However, Taiwan’s earthquake monitoring agency reported the magnitude as 7.2.
The effects of the earthquake were felt far beyond its epicenter. In Taipei, the capital city located approximately 100 miles away, strong tremors were experienced, with aftershocks continuing for about two hours. Reports emerged from China, particularly from Shanghai, roughly 500 miles to the north, indicating that the earthquake was perceptible even at such a distance.
