The strong earthquake that occurred off the coast of Taiwan on Wednesday morning served as a clear indication of nature’s unpredictable power, triggering alarms throughout the region and prompting a notable tsunami warning for Japan’s Okinawa.
The earthquake that shook the entire island of Taiwan caused buildings to collapse and was strongly felt in the capital, Taipei. Initially, Taiwan’s earthquake monitoring agency stated that the quake had a magnitude of 7.2, which differed from the US Geological Survey’s assessment of 7.5. Up to 9 individuals lost their lives, while more than 1,000 sustained injuries. Additionally, 42 workers who were going to a hotel located within a national park are currently unaccounted for amidst the debris.
Two individuals from India have been reported following the earthquake. The individuals in question, a male and a female, were last sighted in Taroko Gorge, which is in close proximity to the epicentre of the earthquake.
In addition to the earthquake and subsequent aftershocks, 24 landslides occurred and resulted in damage to roads, bridges, and tunnels. The national legislature, which was originally a school constructed prior to World War II, and certain parts of the primary airport in Taoyuan, located just south of Taipei, also experienced minor damage.
Earlier on Wednesday, the nearby Japanese and Philippine islands were also put on tsunami alert due to the earthquake. However, these alerts were later downgraded. Locals and foreigners who have resided in Taipei for years acknowledge that Taiwan has a history of earthquakes, but they unanimously agree that this recent quake is the most powerful one they have encountered in decades. The previous significant earthquake, measuring 7.6 magnitude, occurred in September 1999, resulting in the tragic loss of 2,400 lives and the destruction of 5,000 structures.
