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On Wednesday morning, a magnitude 7.4 earthquake struck Taiwan. It was the strongest earthquake to hit the island in at least 25 years. The earthquake occurred at 07:58 local time, when people were going to work and school. Later, dozens of aftershocks were recorded. The epicenter was located at a depth of 35 km, 18 km south of the city of Hualien. The earthquake was felt in the Chinese province of Fujian, as well as in Shanghai. A tsunami warning was issued for southern Japan and the Philippines. The Japan Meteorological Agency said several small tsunami waves reached parts of Okinawa Prefecture. On social networks, eyewitnesses share footage of the natural disaster. Many people ran out into the street from the shaking buildings. At least 26 buildings collapsed, more than half of which are in Hualien. About 20 people were trapped. Rescue teams were sent to the affected areas. Hualien County was also hit by landslides and rockfalls. This led to the closure of a major coastal highway where numerous tunnels were damaged. More than 91,000 households were left without electricity. The country's two nuclear power plants were not damaged by the earthquake. As a result of this earthquake, four people were killed and more than 50 were injured. Information about the destruction and casualties is being updated. Tremors up to magnitude 7 are expected in the coming days.
