At least nine people died and 1,000 were injured in Taiwan, according to a new report from the authorities, in an earthquake of magnitude greater than 7 which occurred on Wednesday, the most powerful to hit the island in 25 years.
All the deaths occurred in Hualien County, near the epicenter of the earthquake in the east of the island. Three of the victims died on a hiking trail and a fourth in a road tunnel, according to the national fire agency. The agency did not immediately specify the circumstances of the other deaths.
In Hualien, two buildings collapsed. “People are believed to be trapped. We have no more information at the moment,” declared a fire official from this port of nearly 100,000 inhabitants, located at the foot of a mountain range and throats.
Magnitude greater than 7
The magnitude of the earthquake was estimated at 7.5 by the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA), 7.4 by the United States Geological Survey (USGS) and 7.2 by the Taiwan Meteorological Agency (CWA). ). Followed by several aftershocks, it took place at shallow depths shortly before 2:00 a.m. (in Switzerland).
The earthquake initially triggered tsunami warnings in Taiwan, the southwestern islands of Japan and several provinces in the Philippines, where people in coastal areas were urged to seek higher ground.
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30 cm waves
Japanese and Philippine authorities finally canceled their alerts and the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center, a regional observatory based in Hawaii (United States), announced around 4:00 a.m. in Switzerland that “the tsunami threat has now largely passed.” , while calling on residents of coastal regions to remain cautious.
Naha airport, the largest on the Japanese island of Okinawa, suspended air traffic and flights planned to this destination were diverted. However, recordings of departing flights resumed after the alert was lifted.
No casualties were reported in the Okinawa region, the Japanese government spokesperson said. According to the JMA, waves of 30 cm were reported in the islands of Yonaguni and Miyako and 20 cm in that of Ishigaki, all located in the extreme southwest of the archipelago.
60 degree tilt
In Taiwan, photographs released by the Central News Agency (CNA) showed a seven-story red building in Hualien partially collapsed, tilted at about 60 degrees.
In Hualien, on the island of Taiwan, buildings of several floors tilted dangerously under the effect of the earthquake. [AFP]
“The earthquake is close to the coast and shallow. It is felt throughout Taiwan and neighboring islands… It is the strongest in 25 years, since the 1999 earthquake,” said the director of the Taipei Seismological Center, Wu Chien-fu. A 7.6 magnitude earthquake killed 2,400 people in September 1999, the worst disaster in Taiwan’s modern history.
Strict construction standards
In the Taiwanese capital, the subway briefly stopped operating, but traffic resumed after an hour. Residents were asked to check for possible gas leaks caused by the quake.
Located on the border of several tectonic plates, Taiwan and Japan are frequently affected by earthquakes. To limit risks as much as possible, both countries apply some of the strictest construction standards in the world.
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