Taiwan's East Coast Shaken By Over 80 Quakes, Strongest 6.3
Get the latest updates on the recent earthquakes on Taiwan's east coast, including aftershocks and impacts on infrastructure and safety measures.
Taiwan's east coast has been rocked by over 80 earthquakes in the past 24 hours, causing buildings to shake in the capital, Taipei. The strongest quake measured 6.3 on the Richter scale. The epicentre of these tremors was mainly in the rural county of Hualien, where a 7.2 magnitude earthquake on April 3 claimed the lives of at least 14 people, followed by over 1,000 aftershocks since then.
Here are the latest updates on the Taiwan earthquake -
1)Hualien experienced many aftershocks late on Monday and early Tuesday, but fortunately, there were no reports of fatalities or significant damage. TSMC, a major chipmaker, confirmed that its operations were not affected.
2)Buildings across eastern, northern, and western Taiwan, including Taipei, swayed at night due to the 6.3 magnitude earthquake.
3)The series of earthquakes, totaling around 180, were identified as aftershocks of the significant quake that struck on April 3, according to Taiwan's Central Weather Administration.
4)Seismological Centre Director Wu Chien-fu explained that the aftershocks were a concentrated release of energy and warned that more could be expected, although they might not be as strong.
5)Residents in Hualien were advised to brace for further disruptions as heavy rainfall was forecast for the entire week. The fire department reported additional damage to two buildings already affected on April 3, with some tilting.
6)TSMC, the world's largest chipmaker, evacuated some employees from a few plants, but all were safe, and operations continued as usual.
7)In Hualien, several mountainous roads were closed, and work and school were cancelled for the day by authorities.
8)Taiwan is prone to strong earthquakes, but its robust seismic preparedness has helped minimise damage to its 23 million residents, experts say.
9)The island has extensive public awareness campaigns on earthquake safety and strict building regulations.
10)Taiwan has faced devastating earthquakes in the past, with more than 100 deaths in a 2016 quake in southern Taiwan and over 2,000 fatalities in a 1999 quake.
