Strong Quake Rattles Taiwan, Destroys Buildings And Causes A Tsunami

A powerful earthquake rocked the entire island of Taiwan early Wednesday, collapsing buildings in a southern city and creating a tsunami that washed ashore on southern Japanese islands, reported the Associated Press (AP).

The quake struck at 7:58 a.m. about 18 kilometers south-southwest of Hualien and was about 35 kilometers (21 miles) deep. I Photo: 總統府 Wikimedia Commons

A five-story building in lightly populated Hualien appeared heavily damaged, with its first floor collapsing and the rest leaning at a 45-degree angle. In the capital, Taipei, tiles fell from older buildings and within some newer office complexes.

Taiwan’s earthquake monitoring agency reported the magnitude as 7.2, while the US Geological Survey put it at 7.4. The quake struck at 7:58 a.m. about 18 kilometers south-southwest of Hualien and was about 35 kilometers (21 miles) deep.

Train service was suspended across the island of 23 million people, as was subway service in Taipei.

However, things quickly returned to normal in the capital, with children going to school and the morning commute appearing to be normal. The Japan Meteorological Agency said a tsunami wave of 30 centimeters (about 1 foot) was detected on the coast of Yonaguni Island about 15 minutes after the quake struck.

JAMA said waves likely also hit the coasts of Miyako and Yaeyama Islands.

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