- By Vivek Raj
- Wed, 03 Apr 2024 01:17 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
Taiwan Earthquake: At least seven persons lost their lives while more than 700 have suffered injuries after a massive, 7.5 magnitude earthquake jolted Taiwan's capital, Taipei on Wednesday morning. According to Taiwan health officials, at least 77 people are still trapped in the debris of collapsed tunnels and buildings. Following the earthquake, Japan and the Philippines issued Tsunami warnings, however, they were later lifted.
#WATCH | A very shallow earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 7.5 struck in the ocean near Taiwan. Japan has issued an evacuation advisory for the coastal areas of the southern prefecture of Okinawa after the earthquake triggered a tsunami warning. Tsunami waves of up to 3… pic.twitter.com/2Q1gd0lBaD
— ANI (@ANI) April 3, 2024
Video showed rescuers using ladders to help trapped people out of windows, while elsewhere there were massive landslides, as strong tremors in Taipei forced the subway system to close briefly, although most lines resumed service.
Fire authorities said about 60 of the roughly 77 trapped were caught in a tunnel just north of Hualien city, with two Germans among those trapped in another tunnel. The government put the number of injured at 736. President-elect Lai Ching-te, who is set to take office next month, will visit Hualien later in the day, his office said.
The quake caused power outages in various parts of the city, according to a witness cited by Reuters. Taiwan's earthquake monitoring agency gave the magnitude as 7.2 while the US Geological Survey put it at 7.4. It struck at 7:58 am about 18 km south-southwest of Hualien and was about 35 km (21 miles) deep.
Television footage showed buildings in the eastern city of Hualien shaking off their foundations. Train services across the island were suspended, along with subway services in Taipei. Despite the epicentre being on the other side of the island from the capital, the quake was strong enough to dislodge items from shelves in Taipei.
Taiwan officials described the earthquake as the strongest to hit Taiwan in 25 years, according to the director of Taipei's Seismology Centre. Taiwan is situated in a seismically active region due to its location near the convergence of two tectonic plates.
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Notably, a devastating 7.6-magnitude earthquake struck Taiwan in September 1999, claiming approximately 2,400 lives in what remains the deadliest natural disaster in the island's history.
(With Agency Inputs)
