Strongest Earthquake Hits Taiwan in 25 Years: 4 Dead and 60 Injured

Taiwan Rattled by Strongest Quake in 25 Years, Leaving 4 Dead and 60 Injured

Written by: Supriya Kadu

Edited by: Omkar Devadkar

Last Updated: April 03, 2024

Summary: Taiwan was hit by the strongest earthquake in 25 years, and as of now, 4 are dead and 60 are injured.

The strongest earthquake to hit Taiwan in 25 years shook the country, leaving at least four dead and hundreds injured. Tsunami warnings were issued; however, they were canceled without causing any damage or casualties.

In the eastern portion of the island, the earthquake that happened on Wednesday created landslides and rattled houses off their foundations. The eastern city of Hualien saw the collapse of numerous buildings. Japan has issued evacuation advice for Okinawan coastal communities following a powerful earthquake that struck Taiwan, posing a possibility of tsunamis up to three meters high.

The director of Taipei's Central Weather Administration's Seismology Center, Wu Chien-fu, stated, “The earthquake is close to land, and it's shallow. It's felt all over Taiwan and offshore islands." According to officials, three members of a group of seven who were hiking in the surrounding hills early in the morning were crushed to death by boulders that were loosened by the earthquake. Furthermore, a truck driver lost his life when a landslide struck his car as it neared a nearby tunnel.

Social media is filled with videos of earthquakes; you can see how the buildings are trembling and houses are diminishing in a fraction of a second. Wu stated that the earthquake was the strongest since September 1999, when a 7.6-magnitude earthquake killed almost 2,400 people in the greatest natural disaster in the history of the island.