Taiwan records new wave of earthquakes; central shock has magnitude 6.3

Monitoring agencies identify new earthquake in Taiwan, with magnitude of 6.3; This is the second wave of earthquakes to hit the island in April

23 Apr
2024
– 11:07 am

(updated at 1:09 p.m.)

This Tuesday morning (23), Taiwan was hit by a series of earthquakes, with the largest earthquake having a magnitude of 6.3 on the Richter scale. There are reports of buildings suffering structural damage, but no victims have been identified so far, according to rescue teams. This is the second wave of tremors recorded on the island in April.

Photo: Peggy und Marco Lachmann-Anke/Pixabay / Canaltech

The epicenter of the earthquakes is 28 km from the city of Hualien, on the east coast of Taiwan. The metropolitan region is inhabited by approximately 300 thousand people. The most intense earthquake, with a magnitude of 6.3, occurred at a depth of 10.7 km.

The other earthquakes were smaller, as is often the case, with magnitudes ranging between 4.5 and 6, according to Taiwan’s earthquake monitoring center.

In the center of Hualien, a hotel partially collapsed, while the parts that remained standing were severely damaged. However, the space was empty, as it had been undergoing renovations since the last earthquake at the beginning of the month. In addition, the tremors caused rockslides, blocking roads.

Taiwan is affected by the second wave of earthquakes in April (Image: Shefali Lincoln/Unsplash)

Photo: Canaltech

Earthquake in Taiwan

Despite the most recent earthquake, the most severe earthquake to hit the island was the one recorded earlier this month, on April 2. With a magnitude of 7.4, the earthquake caused the death of 13 people and injured a thousand others. The epicenter was also near the city of Hualien.

On the island in the Pacific Ocean, the most serious earthquake on record occurred in 1999. The 7.7 magnitude shock caused the death of 2,400 people, according to historical records.

The incidence of so many earthquakes in the area is due to its location, the Pacific Ring of Fire (or Pacific Ring of Fire). It is a kind of arc where tectonic plates collide and which stretches from Australia to South America, passing through Asia. The region is known for concentrating the majority of earthquakes in the world.

Below, see records of the second wave of earthquakes in Taiwna, made by the news agency AP News:

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