A powerful earthquake has struck off Taiwan’s east coast on Wednesday, killing at least four people.
The 7.4 magnitude quake caused multiple buildings to collapse in Hualien, the city closest to the epicentre, where rescue efforts are taking place.
Wu chien Fu, the director of Taipei’s Seismology Centre said, “The earthquake is close to land and it’s shallow. It’s felt all over Taiwan and offshore islands… It’s the strongest in 25 years”.
The National Fire Agency said one had died and three others were injured at a trail around Taroko National Park, named after a landmark gorge just outside Hualien.
More than 50 people have been injured, with some trapped in buildings and tunnels around the city, the agency added.
Earlier, the earthquake set off tsunami warnings on the island to neighbouring countries.
In neighbouring Japan, authorities had earlier warned that tsunami waves of up to 3m were expected to reach large areas of its southwestern coast.
The Japan Meteorological Agency agency later downgraded the warning, but has asked residents to remain “vigilant for aftershocks with similar intensity” for about a week.
The Philippines’ seismology agency also issued a tsunami warning shortly after the quake hit, urging residents to evacuate to higher ground – which it later cancelled.
The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said in an update about two hours after the quake hit that the tsunami threat “has now passed”.
Chinese state media said tremors were felt in parts of China’s south-eastern Fujian province.
In September 1999, a 7.6-magnitude earthquake hit Taiwan, killing 2,400 people and destroying 5,000 buildings.
BBC
