A strong magnitude 7.5 earthquake was felt in Taiwan on Tuesday night (2). Authorities issued tsunami warnings for Japan and the Philippines. This is the strongest earthquake felt in the country in 25 years, according to the official Taiwan News Agency.
Earthquake hits Taiwan and causes tsunami risk
Photo: Reproduction / NHK / Perfil Brasil
“The earthquake is close to the earth and is shallow. It was felt throughout the island of Taiwan and along the coast… it is the strongest in 25 years since the (1999) earthquake.” he said Wu Chien-fu to reporters, referring to the September 1999 magnitude 7.6 earthquake that killed 2,400 people.
According to local press, some buildings collapsed in the city of Hualien. Several people were trapped among the rubble. Landslides were also recorded after the tremor. In the capital Taipei, part of the city was left without power.
The tremor was recorded at a depth of 34.8 kilometers. According to experts interviewed by CNN, the closer it is to the surface, the more damage it can cause.
According to Chinese state media, the tremor was also felt in China. Thus, it reached the cities of Fuzhou, Xiamen, Quanzhou and Ningde in Fujian Province in China.
The Philippine government also asked residents of coastal areas to leave their homes.
Tsunami Alert
Authorities ordered the evacuation of residents due to the risk of a tsunami. Waves of up to three meters could hit the Japanese island of Okinawa, according to Japanese broadcaster NHK.
Taiwan is located on the Pacific Ring of Fire, which causes massive seismic and volcanic activity from Indonesia to Chile.
* Updated report
Tags: Strong earthquake felt Taiwan authorities warn tsunami
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