Taiwan struck by 7.0 magnitude quake off Yilan coast
What's the story
A powerful 7.0 magnitude earthquake struck off the northeastern coast of Taiwan on Saturday at 8:35pm local time (6:05pm IST). The quake's epicenter was located about 32km from Yilan city at a depth of 73km, according to the administration. It was felt across the island and in Taipei, where buildings shook, but no major damage has been reported so far.
Aftermath details
Minor damages and power outages reported
The Taipei city government reported isolated incidents of damage, such as gas and water leaks. Over 3,000 homes in Yilan briefly lost power due to the quake. Taiwan Power Company confirmed the outage but stated that service was quickly restored. Major chipmaker TSMC also evacuated some staff from its facilities in Hsinchu Science Park as a precautionary measure.
Official response
President Lai urges caution amid aftershock warnings
Taiwan's weather administration has warned of possible aftershocks between 5.5 and 6.0 in magnitude in the next day. President Lai Ching-te assured that authorities have the situation under control and urged residents to remain vigilant for aftershocks. Taiwan is located near a tectonic plate boundary, making it prone to earthquakes. Past quakes include a deadly one in southern Taiwan in 2016, which killed over 100 people, and another in 1999 that claimed more than 2,000 lives.