6.2-magnitude earthquake strikes northeastern Taiwan

[ad_1]

Image Credit: Twitter

TAIPEI (Reuters) – A strong earthquake struck northeastern Taiwan on Sunday, with residents reporting a violent tremor in the capital, Taipei, but there were no immediate reports of widespread damage.

Taiwan’s Central Meteorological Bureau said the quake measured 6.7, while the US Geological Survey gave a figure of less than 6.2. It hit northeastern Yilan Prefecture at 1:11 pm (0511 GMT) at a depth of 67 kilometers (42 miles).

An AFP reporter who lives in Yilan said the shaking apparently lasted about 30 seconds.

An AFP reporter who lives in Yilan said the shaking apparently lasted about 30 seconds. Image Credit: Twitter

“The walls of the house were shaking, from the sides up and down, and it felt very strong,” the reporter said. There was no damage in his neighborhood.

after the shock

The main quake was followed by a 5.4-magnitude aftershock and the subway system in Taipei said it was closed as a precaution.

Tom Parker, a British painter who lives in Taipei, said he was taking the subway when the earthquake struck.

“First time I felt an earthquake in the subway. Like a tamed roller coaster,” he wrote on Twitter, adding that he and other passengers were asked to take shelter at the station for the time being.

Several other people reported the earthquake on social media.

Yu Ting wrote on Facebook: “I was scared to death, I screamed in my room.”

“This earthquake is really big, the glass in my living room shattered.”

Some grocers reported that food and other goods were thrown off shelves due to vibration.

Taiwan experiences earthquakes regularly as the island is located near the intersection of two tectonic plates.

Some earthquakes of this magnitude can be deadly, although a lot depends on where the earthquake occurred and at what depth.

Hualien City, a scenic tourist attraction, was hit by a 6.4-magnitude earthquake in 2018 that killed 17 people and injured nearly 300.

In September 1999, a 7.6-magnitude earthquake killed about 2,400 people in the deadliest natural disaster in the island’s history.

However, a 6.2-magnitude earthquake struck in December 2020 in Yilan with no major damage or injuries reported.

[ad_2]