Taiwan was hit by 80 earthquakes with a magnitude of 6.3; no casualties were reported

Taiwan's Earthquake Saga: 80 Quakes, Zero Casualties

Written by: Supriya Kadu

Edited by: Omkar Devadkar

Last Updated: April 23, 2024

Summary: Several earthquakes shook Taiwan's earthquake-stricken eastern county of Hualien late on Monday and early on Tuesday, but no deaths or significant damage were noted.

Taiwan's east coast encountered over 80 earthquakes, with the strongest at 6.3 magnitude and shaking buildings in Taipei, according to the island's weather administration. The quakes were concentrated in the rural eastern county of Hualien, where a 7.2-magnitude quake killed 14 people on April 3.

It was Taiwan's strongest earthquake in 25 years, with hundreds of aftershocks.

According to the USGS, Tuesday's 6.1-magnitude earthquake struck 28 kilometers (17.5 miles) south of Hualien at a depth of 10.7 kilometers. The next half-dozen quakes ranged in magnitude from 4.5 to 6, all occurring near Hualien.

According to AFP journalists and witnesses in Taipei, "I was washing my hands when I suddenly felt what I thought was vertigo," Olivier Bonifacio, a tourist in Taipei's Da'an district, told AFP. "I stepped into my room and noticed the building was rocking, and I heard the desk creak," he added, adding that he then realized it was another aftershock.

Wu Chien-fu, director of the Seismological Centre, told reporters that the aftershocks were a "concentrated release of energy" and that more may be expected, though not as severe.

With heavy rain expected in Taiwan this week, residents in Hualien should brace themselves for additional disruption, he added.

The Hualien Fire Department reported that two buildings, which were already unoccupied after being damaged on April 3, had sustained additional damage and were leaning.

Early Tuesday, Hualien's fire department announced that teams had been stationed to check for any damage caused by the most recent tremors. At 2:54 a.m., they issued a statement saying that no casualties had been reported.