The epicenter of the 7-magnitude earthquake was 18 kilometers southeast of the port of Chua-lien on the island’s east coast. The tremors occurred shortly after eight o’clock in the morning local time. According to Japanese seismologists, it had a magnitude of 7.7, while American geologists from the USGS report a value three tenths lower.
Footage from the city of Chua-lien shows that some buildings have suffered serious damage or even collapsed. According to local media, people may be trapped in the rubble. According to AP, even some older houses and newer office buildings in Taipei, where weaker aftershocks were also felt, did not escape damage.
Four victims are reported from Chua-lien County, another 57 people were injured there, the agency wrote Reuters. Railway transport has been suspended on the entire island since morning, and there have also been problems with electricity supplies. According to the authorities, however, local nuclear power was not threatened.
After the earthquake, Japan warned of the threat of a tsunami wave on the islands in Okinawa prefecture. The alert was later lifted. Tokyo reports no casualties or significant damage.
Earthquakes are quite common in Taiwan. In 1999, tremors of similar strength claimed over 2,400 lives. In February 2018, 15 people did not survive an earthquake on the east coast of the island. Two Czech citizens were among the injured at the time.
