Taiwan earthquake: Hualien, the eastern county of Taiwan, which was struck by an earthquake, experienced numerous aftershocks late Monday and early Tuesday. Fortunately, only minor damage was reported, and there were no casualties. TSMC, a leading chipmaker, stated that its operations remained unaffected by the seismic activity.
The predominantly rural and thinly populated area of Hualien experienced a 7.2 magnitude earthquake on April 3, resulting in the deaths of at least 14 individuals. Since then, there have been over 1,000 aftershocks recorded in the region.
Throughout the night, buildings in significant areas of northern, eastern, and western Taiwan, including Taipei, the capital, swayed due to seismic activity. The largest quake recorded had a magnitude of 6.3, and all were characterized as very shallow.
According to Taiwan’s Central Weather Administration, the series of earthquakes that began on Monday afternoon, totaling around 180, were identified as aftershocks stemming from the significant quake on April 3.
Director Wu Chien-fu of the Seismological Centre informed reporters that the aftershocks represented a “focused discharge of energy” and cautioned that further aftershocks could be anticipated, albeit potentially not as intense.
He added that with heavy rain forecasted for the entirety of Taiwan this week, residents in Hualien should brace themselves for additional disruptions.
The Hualien Fire Department reported that two buildings, which were already uninhabited due to damage sustained on April 3, experienced additional damage and were tilting.
Taiwan earthquake
No casualties were reported.
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC), the world’s largest contract chipmaker, located on the western coast of the island, mentioned that a few employees from a limited number of factories were evacuated. However, they assured that facility operations and safety systems were operating normally, with all staff members unharmed.
In an email statement, they expressed, “At present, we anticipate no disruption to operations.”
Investors showed little concern regarding the quake, as TSMC’s shares listed in Taipei rose by 1.75% on Tuesday morning.
In the mountainous Hualien county, reports emerged of road closures due to rockfalls, prompting the government to suspend work and school activities for the day.
Taiwan is situated close to the convergence of two tectonic plates, making it susceptible to earthquakes.
Over 100 fatalities resulted from a quake in southern Taiwan in 2016, whereas a 7.3 magnitude earthquake claimed the lives of over 2,000 individuals in 1999.