7.0-Magnitude Earthquake Jolts Taiwan Again, Second Strong Quake in Three Days

A 7.0 magnitude earthquake struck some 32 km (20 miles) off Taiwan’s northeastern coastal city of Yilan late on Saturday, the island’s weather administration said. They further said that “the quake shook buildings in the capital, Taipei, and had a depth of 73 km (45 miles).” The National Fire Agency reported that damage assessment was underway. 

Taiwan lies near the junction of two tectonic plates and is prone to earthquakes, and this is the second significant tremor in three days. Videos on social media show the horror in people as buildings were shaking. 

A second earthquake in three days 

A 6.0-magnitude shallow earthquake hit southeastern Taiwan on Wednesday evening, according to the US Geological Survey. The quake struck at 5:47 pm local time at a depth of 10 kilometres in Taitung County. There were no immediate reports of damage, and Taiwan’s National Fire Agency said transport services were not affected.

The tremors were felt as far as Taipei, where some buildings shook. In Taitung, television footage showed items falling off supermarket shelves and breaking.

More than 100 people were killed in a quake in southern Taiwan in 2016, while a 7.3-magnitude quake killed more than 2,000 people in 1999.

(With inputs from Reuters)

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