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Agence France-Presse

A strong earthquake struck off the coast of eastern Taiwan on Monday evening, the Central Weather Bureau said, with shaking felt in the capital Taipei but no immediate reports of damage.
The weather bureau said the quake measured 6.0 in magnitude and hit at the relatively shallow depth of 19km (12 miles). The United States Geological Survey said the quake measured 6.2 in magnitude and hit at a depth of 28km.
The epicentre was reported to be in the sea 56km east of the coastal city of Hualien.
The weather bureau said no immediate reports of damage had come in.


An AFP reporter in Taipei said buildings swayed violently when the tremor struck during the rush-hour commute at 5.46pm.
“The shaking lasted for a good 20 seconds with the ground moving left and right,” the reporter said.
Taipei’s MRT subway system kept running after the quake.
Morgan Everett, an American who has lived in Taiwan for 13 years, said the quake was “one of the stronger ones I’ve felt” during her time there.
“My two teen sons were in our building elevator coming home from school, which was a bit scary,” she said.
“They could feel quite strong shaking and hear the cables creaking. Thankfully the elevator operated normally and they were able to exit.”
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Taiwan is regularly hit by earthquakes because the island lies near the junction of two tectonic plates.
Some earthquakes of this magnitude can prove deadly, although much depends on where the quake strikes and at what depth.
A 6.5-magnitude quake struck northeastern Yilan in October with minimal damage, in part because it was at a depth of 67km.


Hualien, a scenic tourist hotspot, was struck by a 6.4-magnitude earthquake in 2018 that killed 17 people and injured nearly 300.
In September 1999, a 7.6-magnitude quake killed around 2,400 people in the deadliest natural disaster in the island’s history.
Chen Kuo-chang, head of the Central Weather Bureau’s seismological centre, said Taiwan experienced an average 2.5 quakes a year that were magnitude 6.0 or higher.
However last year Taiwan saw five quakes over 6.0.


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Strong earthquake hits off Taiwan’s eastern coast, buildings sway in rush hour

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In this photo taken on March 15, 2011, a Japanese survivor of the Fukushima earthquake and tsunami rides his bicycle through the levelled city of Minamisanriku, Miyagi prefecture, Japan. Photo: AP

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China


Geological agencies put quake at least 6.0 magnitude and its epicentre in the sea east of Hualien
‘The shaking lasted for a good 20 seconds with the ground moving left and right’



Geological agencies put quake at least 6.0 magnitude and its epicentre in the sea east of Hualien.


Earthquakes

Strong earthquake hits off Taiwan’s eastern coast, buildings sway in rush hour

.css-1mniedq{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;} Geological agencies put quake at least 6.0 magnitude and its epicentre in the sea east of Hualien ‘The shaking lasted for a good 20 seconds with the ground moving left and right’

Geological agencies put quake at least 6.0 magnitude and its epicentre in the sea east of Hualien

‘The shaking lasted for a good 20 seconds with the ground moving left and right’