TOKYO – At least eight people were killed and dozens injured on Wednesday after a powerful earthquake hit Taiwan.
The magnitude of the earthquake was recorded at 7.4 that damaged dozens of buildings and prompted tsunami warnings.
“The earthquake is close to land and it’s shallow. It’s felt all over Taiwan and offshore islands,” said Wu Chien-fu, director of Taipei’s Central Weather Administration’s Seismology Center.
The island appears to have avoided a major disaster due to implementation of strict building regulations and disaster awareness among awareness. The island is regularly jolted by quakes due to its location on junction of two tectonic plates.
The official said it was the strongest earthquake since September 1999 when a 7.6-magnitude hit the island, killing around 2,400 people.
The epicentre of the today’s earthquake was 18 kilometres south of Taiwan’s Hualien City, while its depth was 34.8 kilometres.
