A powerful earthquake, the strongest to hit Taiwan in 25 years, rocked the island on Wednesday morning, leaving a trail of devastation with collapsed buildings, widespread power outages, and numerous casualties.
According to authorities, the quake, measuring 7.2 magnitude, struck with devastating force, resulting in at least seven confirmed deaths, with scores of individuals trapped in tunnels and collapsed structures. Over 700 people have been reported injured in the aftermath of the earthquake.
The Taiwan Central Weather Administration (CWA) attributed the quake to movement in the Philippine Sea plate, describing the epicenter as extremely shallow and close to land. The agency warned of potential aftershocks ranging between magnitudes 6.5 and 7 over the next four days.
The capital city, Taipei, felt the tremors strongly, with the CWA noting that the “basin effect” exacerbated the impact, amplifying the earthquake’s reverberations due to the soft ground in the area.
Taiwan, situated along the Pacific Ring of Fire, a seismic hotspot, is no stranger to earthquakes. However, this recent quake has been particularly destructive, causing buildings to tilt at precarious angles and trapping individuals inside. Rescue efforts are underway, with images and videos depicting rescuers using ladders to aid those stranded in damaged structures.
The earthquake also disrupted transportation systems, with some subway systems temporarily closing, and over 87,000 households experiencing power outages, according to the island’s electricity supplier.
This tragic event recalls Taiwan’s worst earthquake in recent history, which occurred in 1999, measuring 7.7 magnitude. That quake claimed the lives of 2,400 people, injured around 100,000, and caused extensive destruction to thousands of buildings across the island.
