Published22. April 2024, 6:24 p.m.
Asia: Taiwan shaken by 5.9 magnitude earthquake
A strong tremor was felt, but no major damage has been noted so far.
This image shows the epicenter of the earthquake.
www.earthquake44.com
Taiwan was shaken early Monday evening by a “strong” earthquake, felt in the capital Taipei by AFP staff, and the Taiwanese meteorological agency reported a tremor of magnitude re-evaluated at 5, 9, from Hualien County in the east.
On April 3, this region was the epicenter of a 7.4 magnitude earthquake which left at least 17 dead and more than 1,100 injured on the island. Monday’s earthquake occurred around 5:08 p.m. local time, according to Taiwan’s meteorological agency. It was followed by a series of aftershocks, the most intense around 10:15 p.m., according to AFP journalists.
The Taiwan Meteorological Agency announced that it was a magnitude 5.9 earthquake, with a depth of 8.6 km, while the US Geological Survey (USGC) assessed the earthquake. magnitude at 5.8.
“We had the impression of witnessing one of the strongest earthquakes or one of the strongest aftershocks since the big earthquake at the beginning of the month,” declared an AFP employee, while Another reporter said the building had swayed.
Firefighters on site
The Hualien Fire Department said on its official social media account that it had sent teams to assess possible damage. As of 10:30 p.m., no damage from the earthquake had been reported, they assured, adding “continue to monitor the situation” and expect “a timely report.”
Taiwan is regularly hit by earthquakes because the island is located near the junction of two tectonic plates. The earthquake of April 3 was followed by hundreds of aftershocks which caused landslides in the surroundings of Hualien.
It was the most severe since the 7.6 magnitude earthquake that hit the island in September 1999 and killed 2,400 people – the worst disaster in Taiwan’s modern history.
Stricter anti-seismic regulations, including in construction standards, and widespread public awareness appear to have avoided a major disaster during the April 3 earthquake.