The US Geological Survey stated that a severe earthquake struck Taiwan’s southeast coast on Sunday (Sept 18), damaging at least one building in a village.
The USGS reported that the earthquake struck at 2:44 pm at a depth of 10 km, about 50 km north of Taitung, AFP reported. The department initially marked the initial strength of the earthquake to be 7.2 magnitudes but later lowered it to 6.9, AFP reported.
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The village of Yuli experienced at least one structural fall, Taiwan’s semi-official Central News Agency reported. A video was uploaded by the news agency that showed panicked residents running towards the collapsed building as it blew up a dense cloud of dust.
Earlier, in this steep, thinly populated area, there had been numerous tremors since a 6.6-magnitude earthquake struck the same area on Saturday. However, Sunday’s earthquake was more intense and stronger than the previous one.
Remote islands close to Taiwan have received a tsunami warning from Japan’s Meteorological Agency. Waves up to one metre high are expected to reach around 4:00 p, according to the department. High waves were seen approaching the islands in live TV footage from the.
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As per the China Earthquake Network Centre, regions like Fujian, Jiangsu, and Shanghai also felt some vibrations.
The deadliest earthquake Taiwan ever experienced was of 7.6 magnitudes in 1999, which claimed the lives of over 2,000 people.
Taiwan, due to its location close to the meeting point of two tectonic plates, experiences earthquakes very frequently. The island is located on the Pacific “Ring of Fire,” a region of extremely active earthquakes.
(With inputs from agencies)
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