Striking Images on Social Media Capture Buildings Trembling, Bridges Swaying, and Individuals Seeking Shelter.
Today, Taiwan was struck by a powerful earthquake, resulting in the tragic loss of four lives and injuring over 60 individuals. The seismic event also prompted tsunami alerts in Japan and the Philippines. Gripping footage shared on social media depicts buildings trembling, bridges swaying, and people urgently seeking shelter.
According to the news agency AFP, registering at 7.4 on the Richter scale, this earthquake marks the most potent tremor to hit the island in a quarter-century. Officials have cautioned of potential aftershocks in the coming days. Taiwanese authorities have noted that this seismic event is the most intense since the devastating 7.6 magnitude earthquake in 1999, which claimed the lives of 2,400 individuals.
Online videos reveal numerous buildings swaying in response to the tremors. Additionally, footage depicts individuals stranded on a bridge as it oscillates under the impact of the powerful earthquake. As per AFP reports, tall structures in Hualien and other areas leaned following the seismic activity, while a warehouse in New Taipei City collapsed into rubble.
Three individuals from a group of seven, who were on a morning hike in the hills surrounding Taipei city, tragically lost their lives after being crushed by massive boulders unleashed by a landslide. Additionally, the fourth casualty was identified as a truck driver whose vehicle was struck by a landslide while approaching a tunnel.
Taiwanese television stations broadcasted scenes of bulldozers working to remove debris along routes leading to Hualien, a coastal city encircled by mountains, with a population of approximately 100,000. Landslides had isolated the city, making transportation challenging.
President Tsai Ing-wen of Taiwan urged local and central government authorities to collaborate effectively and announced that the national military would be offering assistance in the relief efforts.
Initially, authorities in Taiwan, Japan, and the Philippines issued a tsunami warning. However, by approximately 10 am (0200 GMT), the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center stated that the threat had mostly diminished.
In the capital city, the metro system briefly halted operations but resumed service within an hour. Residents were also advised by their local borough chiefs to inspect their premises for potential gas leaks.
Due to its proximity to the convergence of two tectonic plates, Taiwan frequently experiences earthquakes, and neighboring Japan encounters approximately 1,500 tremors annually.