Strong earthquake rocks Taiwan, but little damage
Print Edition
A STRONG earthquake struck eastern Taiwan yesterday, shaking buildings in Taipei and across much of the island and sending panicky residents running for shelter.
But initial reports suggested the island escaped with few injuries and little damage.
The 6.3-magnitude quake had its epicenter 53 kilometers southwest of Hualien city at a depth of 19.5 kilometers, according to the island’s Seismology Center.
A series of aftershocks followed the powerful quake, it said.
The China’s Earthquake Networks Center put the magnitude at a higher 6.7.
A fire agency official in Hualien said that a 79-year-old woman fell at her home, slightly injuring her leg, adding that a gas leak was reported at another home.
Hundreds of bottles and other items were shaken off shop shelves outside Hualien.
Even though the quake had little impact, the “defense ministry” ordered its troops on standby.
Eight people were trapped in elevators in Hualien and the greater Taipei area, but were later rescued, Taiwan’s fire agency said.
The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said there was no threat of a tsunami after the quake struck at 8:02pm.
“Buildings in Hualien and most cities shook for about a minute,” an official with the seismology center told reporters.
Two high-speed trains were halted but the system later resumed normal operations. Residents in Taipei took to social media to describe their alarm.
“Yikes. Now the sirens are going. Definitely the worst earthquake I’ve felt here,” wrote Lola Dodge on Twitter, describing herself as an expat living in Taipei.
Elga Reyes tweeted: “Ohmygod. That was the scariest moment ever! Earthquake in Taipei. I could hear the walls creaking. And felt like I was swaying on a ride.”
Taiwan lies along the so-called Ring of Fire around the Pacific and experiences regular earthquakes.
In September 1999, a 7.6 quake on the island killed about 2,400 people and destroyed or damaged numerous buildings.
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