A 7.2 magnitude earthquake struck Taiwan on Wednesday, causing significant damage to buildings and resulting in casualties. The quake also prompted tsunami warnings for southern Japan and the Philippines, which were later lifted. Reports indicate that several people were injured and trapped. Videos showed buildings in Hualien shaking and collapsing. The earthquake was recorded with varying magnitudes by different agencies. It’s truly a devastating event.
The earthquake, which occurred around 8 am local time (1 pm New Zealand time), shook the island significantly, resulting in building collapses in a southern city and prompting tsunami alerts for southern Japanese islands.
Taiwan’s earthquake monitoring agency gauged the magnitude at 7.2, whereas both the Japan Meteorological Agency and the US Geological Survey recorded it as 7.5, with the quake’s depth estimated at approximately 35 km.
Video footage depicted buildings in Hualien experiencing substantial tremors, with one multi-storey building, housing both businesses and residences, partially collapsing.
The earthquake also caused severe vibrations on a bridge, disrupting the morning commute for people in cars and on bicycles.
