Major Earthquake Strikes Taiwan, Over 1,000 Injured

A 7.4 magnitude earthquake struck Taiwan, particularly Hualien City, on Wednesday morning local time (April 3, 2024).

According to AFP News, this is the largest earthquake to hit Taiwan in the last quarter-century.

The earthquake caused numerous landslides and damaged road infrastructure, bridges, tunnels, schools, airports, water and electricity networks, and residential buildings.

AFP News reported that, as of Thursday morning (April 4, 2024), the earthquake had caused at least 9 deaths, 1,011 injuries, and 50 missing persons.

According to the Taiwan Fire Department, most of the fatalities resulted from being struck by falling rocks or collapsing buildings.

The earthquake also triggered a small tsunami in the southern Japanese islands, although it caused no damage.

The tremors were felt as far away as Shanghai and provinces along China's southeastern coast, approximately 160 kilometers (100 miles) from Taiwan.

Taiwan is located on the Pacific Ring of Fire, a seismically active zone encircling the Pacific Ocean where a majority of the world's earthquakes occur.

Prior to this event, Taiwan last experienced a major earthquake on September 21, 1999, with a magnitude of 7.7. That earthquake resulted in approximately 2,400 deaths, 100,000 injuries, and the destruction of thousands of buildings.