In this image taken from video footage played by TVBS, residents rescue a child from a partially collapsed building in Hualien, eastern Taiwan, on Wednesday.
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In this image taken from video footage played by TVBS, residents rescue a child from a partially collapsed building in Hualien, eastern Taiwan, on Wednesday.
AP
TAIPEI, Taiwan — A major earthquake struck Taiwan during the morning rush hour on Wednesday, collapsing buildings and triggering tsunami warnings in Japan and the Philippines.
Taiwanese officials said at least 9 people were killed and 963 injured in the most powerful earthquake not seen since 1999.
The quake struck near the eastern city of Hualien at 7:58 a.m. local time (2358 GMT) and had a magnitude of 7.4, the most powerful earthquake since 1999, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. The depth was about 35 kilometers. (22 miles), which is considered shallow. Taiwan’s earthquake monitoring agency has reported the intensity as 7.2.
Strong tremors were felt in the capital, Taipei, about 100 miles away, lasting for about two hours. And in China there were reports that people as far away as Shanghai, about 500 miles to the north, may have felt the quake.
Televised images showed widespread damage, including lists of buildings left on their sides after foundations were shaken. Authorities suspended work and schools in Hualien, a region of about 300,000 residents. Authorities also shut down eight power plants for safety, and 87,000 residents in Hualien, the epicenter of the earthquake, were without power, although power remained on throughout the rest of the island.
TSMC, the world’s leading maker of cutting-edge microchips, temporarily evacuated production lines after the quake.
In this image taken from video footage played by TVBS, a partially collapsed building is seen in Hualien, eastern Taiwan, on Wednesday. A powerful earthquake struck the entire island of Taiwan early Wednesday, collapsing buildings in a southern city and causing a tsunami that washed ashore on southern Japanese islands.
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TVBS via AP
In this image taken from video footage played by TVBS, a partially collapsed building is seen in Hualien, eastern Taiwan, on Wednesday. A powerful earthquake struck the island of Taiwan early Wednesday, collapsing buildings in a southern city and causing a tsunami that washed ashore on southern Japanese islands.
TVBS via AP
Taiwan transportation officials said train service was suspended across the island, as well as subway service in Taipei. Videos from the epicenter of the earthquake showed rocks sliding on roads and houses, which were completely destroyed.
A preliminary tsunami warning issued by the Japan Meteorological Agency was lifted later on Wednesday. A wave of 30 centimeters (about 1 foot) was seen off the coast of Yonaguni Island about 15 minutes after the quake, the AP reported. JAMA said waves could also hit the coasts of Miyako and Yaeyama islands.
In the Philippines, no tsunami warnings were issued, but residents of various coastal areas were advised to move to higher ground or move inland.
According to Taiwan media, the last earthquake of magnitude 7 or greater to hit the island occurred on September 21, 1999, the “Jiji” earthquake with a magnitude of 7.3, which destroyed thousands of buildings and killed more than 2,400 people.
John Ruvich contributed reporting from Beijing.
