In Taiwan , a powerful earthquake struck off the east coast on Wednesday, claiming the lives of at least four individuals.
The 7.4 magnitude Taiwan earthquake resulted in the collapse of numerous buildings in Hualien, the city nearest to the epicenter. Rescue operations are currently underway in the area.
This was the most intense tremor to hit the island in 25 years, and its effects were felt as far as Taiwan’s mountainous interior, where significant landslides occurred.
In Taipei, there was intense footage of buildings shaking violently.
Wu Chien Fu, the director of Taipei’s Seismology Centre, remarked, “The earthquake occurred near land and was shallow. This is the strongest quake in 25 years.”
The National Fire Agency reported that three individuals lost their lives on a trail in Taroko National Park, named after the famous gorge just outside Hualien.
TSMC
TSMC, the Taiwanese chipmaking giant, stated that it has evacuated some of its factories in Hsinchu and southern Taiwan to ensure the safety of its staff. However, it assured that its safety systems are functioning as usual. TSMC is a major manufacturer of semiconductors for tech giants such as Apple and Nvidia.
Apple supplier Foxconn did not respond immediately to requests.
Earlier, the earthquake triggered tsunami warnings on the island and in neighboring countries.
In Taipei, local media outlets shared footage of collapsed residential buildings and the evacuation of residents from homes and schools. The quake also caused damage to vehicles and led to disarray in stores, according to clips broadcasted by local channel TVBS.
Reports of power outages and internet disruptions have emerged from across the island, according to the internet monitoring group NetBlocks.
The earthquake struck at 07:58 local time (23:58 GMT) at a depth of 15.5km, triggering at least nine aftershocks with magnitudes of 4 or greater. The epicenter of the quake is approximately 18km (11 miles) south of Hualien, according to the US Geological Survey.