The earthquake hit Hualien City

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By Shelley Chan / Staff Reporter

Yesterday, Hualien County was hit by more than 30 shallow earthquakes, with a few homes damaged, although there were no reports of injuries.

The earthquake, with a magnitude of 5.2 on the Richter scale, began at 6:52 a.m. The epicenter was 5.1 kilometers southwest of Hualien County Hall at a depth of 5.9 kilometers. Data from the Central Bureau of Meteorology showed that from 6:53 am to 8:08 pm, it was followed by 38 aftershocks of magnitude 3 to 5.

The bureau said 18 earthquakes occurred from 6:52 am to 7:48 am.

Photo: Wang Qin Yi, Taipei Times

She added that the quakes were at most 30 kilometers deep, putting them in the “extremely shallow” category.

Residents reported hearing a loud bang underground.

In the center of Hualien City, the walls of some houses have fallen.

Seismological center director Chen Kuchang (陳國昌) said the tremor was aftershocks of a series of earthquakes on Wednesday and Thursday last week.

The rapid succession of events yesterday was unusual, Qin said, adding that more aftershocks could occur over the next week.

He said most aftershocks will have a magnitude of 3 to 4, with the largest possibly reaching 5.

He said an aftershock of magnitude 5.5 was unlikely, citing the history of earthquakes in the region.

Bureau data showed that four earthquakes of magnitude 5.5 or greater have occurred since 1973, when the agency began using more advanced seismographs.

A 6.5-magnitude earthquake occurred in 1990, the largest ever recorded in the region.

“Although earthquakes occur frequently in this region, people should not worry, because the risk of a major earthquake is low,” Chen said, adding that such low-level releases of energy accumulating in tectonic plates are a welcome sign.

Yesterday’s earthquakes, like last week’s, were caused by the collision between the Philippine and Eurasia tectonic plates, with the oceanic plate subducting under the continental plate, Chen said.

The epicenters of yesterday’s earthquakes were between the south of Jian Town (吉安) and the north of Shuofong Town (壽), Chen said, adding that the area is a geologically fragmented north-south region and tends to the west.

He said the region’s earthquakes should have a similar sequence, because they occur under similar conditions.

As of yesterday, the bureau had recorded at least 22 earthquakes of magnitude 5 this year, close to the annual average of 23 to 25, Chen said, adding that 80 percent of them were detected in Hualien City.

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