Taiwan hit by multiple earthquakes, at least 1000 aftershocks! Latest updates here

As aftershocks continued, schools and offices in Hualien and surrounding areas remained closed on Tuesday. (Image: Reuters)

Taiwan, on late Monday and early Tuesday, was struck by a series of earthquakes leaving the city grappling with the aftershocks. The strongest earthquake to hit Taiwan was registered to be of magnitude 6.1, as reported by the U.S. Geological Survey. Fortunately, there were no casualties from these tremors, though two previously evacuated multi-story buildings suffered additional damage, reported AP. These quakes followed a devastating magnitude 7.4 earthquake earlier in the month, which claimed 13 lives and injured over 1,000 people. Centered along the coast of rural and mountainous Hualien County, it marked Taiwan’s strongest earthquake in 25 years and triggered hundreds of aftershocks.

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Taiwan Earthquakes: Latest Updates

The epicenter of Tuesday’s 6.1 magnitude quake was located 28 kilometers south of Hualien city. Additional quakes ranging from magnitude 4.5 to magnitude 6 occurred nearby, all in the vicinity of Hualien, the report said. Minor variations in magnitude readings between monitoring centers, such as the discrepancy between the USGS and Taiwan’s earthquake monitoring center, are common.

The most significant tremors, measuring magnitudes 6.0 and 6.3, struck at 2:26 a.m. and 2:32 a.m., respectively, according to Taiwan‘s center. In Taipei, approximately 150 kilometers (93 miles) northwest, many aftershocks were felt, particularly on the upper floors of apartment buildings.

Downtown Hualien saw partial collapse of the Full Hotel, left-leaning at a precarious angle during the quakes. Fortunately, the hotel was undergoing renovations and was unoccupied at the time. Nearby, the Tong Shuai Building, already slated for demolition due to severe damage from the April 3 quake, remained empty, reported AP.

As aftershocks continued, schools and offices in Hualien and surrounding areas remained closed on Tuesday. Most aftershocks, occurring both on land and just off the coast in the Pacific Ocean, registered below magnitude 3.

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Despite Taiwan’s frequent encounters with powerful earthquakes, the impact on its 23 million residents has been relatively limited, attributed to excellent earthquake preparedness, stringent construction standards, and widespread public education campaigns. The devastation caused by the magnitude 7.7 earthquake in 1999 serves as a reminder of the importance of such measures, claiming the lives of 2,400 people.