Taiwan Hualien City earthquake: 4 killed in 7.4 magnitude Earthquake, tsunami alert issued

Taiwan  April 3  – A 7.2 magnitude earthquake rocked Taiwan on Wednesday, the strongest tremor to hit the island in at least 25 years, killing four people, injuring dozens, and sparking a tsunami warning for southern Japan and the Philippines that was later lifted.

Location: The epicenter was located about 11 miles south-southwest of Hualien City on the eastern coast.

Taiwan’s government said four people had died in the mountainous, sparsely populated eastern county of Hualien near where the epicenter was, with more than 50 injured

At least 26 buildings have collapsed, more than half in Hualien, though in one of the worst damaged ones 22 people were rescued with only one missing, the fire department said.

Taiwan television stations showed footage of buildings at precarious angles in Hualien, where the quake struck just offshore around 8 am (0000GMT) as people were going to work and school.

According to Taiwan’s Central Weather Administration, the quake had a depth of 15.5km (9.6 miles).

The Philippines Seismology Agency also warned residents in several provinces’ coastal areas, urging them to evacuate to higher ground.

Taiwan also issued a tsunami warning but reported no damage, and the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center in Hawaii later said the risk of damaging tsunami waves had passed.