A powerful earthquake struck off the east coast of Taiwan on Wednesday, killing at least seven and injuring more than 700. Another 77 people remain trapped under the rubble, Reuters reported. Local authorities are talking about the strongest earthquake in a quarter of a century. The natural disaster also has negative effects on the production of computer chips. The Taiwanese firm TSMC had to suspend production and evacuate several of its factories, according to Bloomberg. The company is investigating the extent of the damage.
“The company’s security systems are functioning normally. Some plants have been evacuated to ensure the safety of our employees,” TSMC said in a statement, adding that it would release details at a later date. The Taiwanese company is the largest manufacturer of advanced chips in the world and the main supplier of American giants Apple and Nvidia. Problems with the export of key components have caused major economic problems in recent years for a number of businesses across sectors, from electronics manufacturers to automakers.
A 7.4-magnitude earthquake shook the Asian island on Wednesday, destroying a number of buildings. The epicenter was located 18 kilometers southeast of the port of Hualien in eastern Taiwan. The epicenter of the earthquake, which struck shortly before eight in the morning local time (before 02:00 CEST), was located at a depth of 35 kilometers, the AP agency wrote.
“Czech diplomacy currently has no information about any Czechs affected by the earthquake in Taiwan,” Mariana Wernerová from the Department of Communications of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs told the media. According to the Drozd travel system, there should be at least 88 Czech citizens on the island.
Devastating earthquake in Taiwan|ČTK / AP / Uncredited
After a few hours, the Japanese authorities canceled the tsunami warning for the arrival of the coast of the small islands in the south of the country. The Philippines also issued a warning against a destructive wave.
Televisions showed images of some buildings in the city of Chua-lien, which were partially disintegrated or collapsed. According to local media, people remained trapped in them. In the metropolis of the island of Taipei, parts of some older houses and newer office buildings were falling away, AP writes. People in the capital also felt weaker aftershocks.
Train services were disrupted across Taiwan, which has a population of 23 million, and some regions lost electricity. According to the authorities, the local nuclear power plants are out of danger.
The nearest Japanese islands in the southern prefecture of Okinawa already reported the arrival of a tsunami wave approximately 30 centimeters high 15 minutes after the tremors. The authorities initially issued a warning of waves up to three meters high, but later canceled the warning. Operations at the airport in the Okinawan administrative center of Naha have been suspended until further notice. Japan reports no casualties or significant damage. Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said on the X social network that his country is ready to provide all assistance to the island.
Earthquakes are quite common in Taiwan. Earthquakes with a magnitude of 7.6 claimed more than 2,400 lives in 1999. In February 2018, an earthquake on the east coast of Taiwan killed 15 people and injured at least 280 people, including two citizens of the Czech Republic.
Japan was hit by its last major earthquake earlier this year. The 7.6-magnitude event killed over 200 people and caused a meter-long tsunami and landslides.
Tags: Taiwan hit worst earthquake years TSMC suspends chip production
