The epicenter of the earthquake was located at sea, 56 kilometers from the city of Hualien, on the east coast of the island of Taiwan.
A powerful earthquake struck off the east coast of Taiwan on Monday evening, the Meteorological Bureau said, as the earthquake was felt in the capital Taipei without any casualties or damage being immediately reported. The quake, with a magnitude of 6, occurred at a shallow depth of 19 kilometers, according to this Bureau, which said that no damage was reported at first.
The epicenter was located at sea, 56 kilometers from the city of Hualien, on the east coast of the island. An AFP reporter in Taipei said the buildings swayed seriously when the earthquake struck at 5:46 p.m. (9:46 a.m. GMT). “The shaking lasted a good twenty seconds with the ground moving from left to right,” she said.
Notable quake, preliminary info: M 6.2 – 64 km E of Hualien City, Taiwan https://t.co/93n1oWu6tR
– USGS Earthquakes (@USGS_Quakes) January 3, 2022
Multiple shakes
Taiwan is regularly hit by earthquakes because the island is located near the junction of two tectonic plates.
In 2018, a 6.4 magnitude earthquake struck Hualien, a major tourist destination, killing 17 people and injuring nearly 300.
The deadliest natural disaster in the island’s history occurred in September 1999, when a magnitude 7.6 earthquake killed around 2,400 people.
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