
UPDATE: 9:20 p.m.
Taiwan's strongest earthquake in a quarter century has killed at least four people.
The national fire agency said four people died in Hualien County. Hualien was the epicenter of the quake that struck around 8 a.m. Wednesday.
It damaged buildings and caused a small tsunami.
UPDATE: 6:58 p.m.
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.
A five-story building in lightly populated Hualien appeared heavily damaged, collapsing its first floor and leaving the rest leaning at a 45-degree angle. In the capital, Taipei, tiles fell from older buildings and within some newer office complexes.
Train service was suspended across the island of 23 million people, as was subway service in Taipei. But 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 feet) 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. Japan’s Self Defense Force sent aircraft to gather information about the tsunami impact around the Okinawa region and were preparing shelters for evacuees if necessary.
Taiwan’s earthquake monitoring agency gave the magnitude as 7.2 while the U.S. Geological Survey put it at 7.4. It struck at 7:58 a.m. about 18 kilometers south-southwest of Hualien and was about 35 kilometers (21 miles) deep.
The head of Taiwan's earthquake monitoring bureau, Wu Chien-fu, said effects were detected as far away as Kinmen, a Taiwanese-controlled island off the coast of China. Multiple aftershocks were felt in Taipei in the hour after the initial quake.
The USGS said one of the subsequent quakes was 6.5 magnitude and 11.8 kilometers (7 miles) deep.
The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said there was no tsunami threat to Hawaii or the U.S. Pacific territory of Guam.
The quake was believed to be the biggest in Taiwan since a temblor in 1999 caused extensive damage. Taiwan lies along the Pacific ”“Ring of Fire," the line of seismic faults encircling the Pacific Ocean where most of the world's earthquake's occur.
UPDATE: 6:12 p.m.
Emergency Info BC says officials have determined there is no tsunami threat for the province after a powerful earthquake struck Taiwan.
This event has been assessed. There is no tsunami threat to #BC. More info: https://t.co/iXrcBldu7J https://t.co/NYHoaD4ofl
— Emergency Info BC (@EmergencyInfoBC) April 3, 2024
ORIGINAL: 5:48 p.m.
A powerful earthquake struck off Taiwan early Wednesday, rocking the entire island and collapsing buildings. Japan issued a tsunami alert for the southern Japanese island group of Okinawa.
The Japan Meteorological Agency forecast a tsunami of up to 3 meters (9.8 feet) after the quake hit at 7:58 a.m. About half an hour later, it said the first wave of the tsunami was already believed to have arrived on the coasts of Miyako and Yaeyama islands.
Taiwan’s earthquake monitoring agency gave the magnitude as 7.2 while the U.S. Geological Survey put it at 7.5.
Television showed buildings in Taiwan's eastern city of Hualien shaken off their foundations. The quake could be felt in the capital Taipei.
In B.C., officials are studying data to determine if there is any tsunami threat to the North American coast.
A 7.5 magnitude earthquake has occurred near Taiwan. Officials are assessing the data to determine if there is any threat to #BC. Info will be shared as soon as it becomes available. Follow @NWS_NTWC for updates. https://t.co/mtIvBFzynq
— Emergency Info BC (@EmergencyInfoBC) April 3, 2024