Taiwan was struck by an earthquake measuring 7.4 on the Richter scale on April 3, 2024. The strongest tremor the island has experienced in at least 25 years struck off the coast of Hualien, Taiwan’s eastern coast, at 7:58 a.m. local time.
The epicenter of the quake is located 18 kilometers (11 miles) south of Hualien city, at a depth of 34.8 kilometers (21 miles), according to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS).
Widespread damage
The earthquake claimed at least nine lives and injured more than 900 people.
Taiwan’s National Fire Agency (NFA) reported that 60 people are trapped in the 400-meter Jinwen Tunnel, one of more than a dozen tunnels threading the Suhua Highway, a scenic but narrow road that runs for 118 kilometers (73 miles) along the east coast.
The earthquake prompted tsunami warnings in Taiwan, southern Japan, and the Philippines, with waves less than half a meter observed along some coasts. This led to the suspension of flights and even the evacuation of coastal areas.
In response to the disaster, President Tsai Ing-wen instructed the administration to provide necessary assistance and work with local governments to minimize the impact of the earthquake. Taiwan, a self-ruled island east of mainland China, is home to about 23 million people, most of whom live in the industrialized cities of its west coast, including the capital, Taipei.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed solidarity with the quake-hit Taiwan.
Taiwan is no stranger to earthquakes due to its location on the Pacific Ring of Fire, which causes massive seismic and volcanic activity from Indonesia to Chile. The island is regularly rocked by earthquakes, but Wednesday’s tremor was particularly devastating, resulting in loss of life and damage to infrastructure.