A powerful 7.4 magnitude earthquake rocked Taiwan’s east coast on Wednesday, prompting tsunami warnings for the island and neighboring countries. Seismology officials confirmed it as Taiwan’s most potent quake in a quarter-century, with its epicenter located approximately 18km (11 miles) south of Hualien city.
The quake caused significant damage, with multiple buildings in the area partially collapsing and leaning at precarious angles. Videos from Taipei captured the intense shaking, resulting in objects flying off shelves and furniture toppling over. In Taiwan’s mountainous interior, social media footage showed massive landslides triggered by the earthquake, with the full extent of damage still being assessed.
Local media broadcasts depicted scenes of chaos, including collapsed residential buildings, evacuations from homes and schools, and the aftermath of smashed vehicles and disarrayed stores, according to reports from TVBS.
The earthquake struck at 07:58 local time (23:58 GMT) at a depth of 15.5km, unleashing at least nine aftershocks with magnitudes of 4 or higher. Efforts are underway to assess the extent of the damage and provide assistance to affected areas.
Image from PBS