Taiwan Shaken by Most Powerful Earthquake in Decades, Resulting in 7 Fatalities and 730 Injuries

Credit: Elizabeth Tiema/Twitter

A powerful earthquake struck Taiwan on Wednesday, resulting in the deaths of at least seven people and injuring close to 730 individuals. The quake caused severe damage to numerous buildings and led to tsunami warnings that were eventually lifted in Japan and the Philippines.

According to officials, this earthquake is the strongest the island has experienced in decades, and they expect more aftershocks in the coming days. Fortunately, Taiwan's strict building regulations and disaster preparedness helped minimize the extent of the catastrophe, given its location near the convergence of two tectonic plates.

The director of Taipei's Central Weather Administration's Seismology Center mentioned that the #earthquake was the most powerful since the deadly 1999 quake that claimed around 2,400 lives. This recent magnitude-7.4 quake struck just before 8:00 am local time, with the epicenter located 18 kilometers south of #Taiwan's Hualien City.

Tragically, three individuals were crushed to death by rocks during their morning hike in the city's surrounding hills, and a truck driver lost his life when his vehicle was struck by a landslide near a tunnel.

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