A robust 6.9 magnitude earthquake hit Taiwan Sunday, derailing carriages and prompting tsunami warnings in southern Japan.
The U.S. Geological Survey measured the quake at 7.2-magnitude earlier than downgrading it to six.9 and mentioned the tsunami risk had handed.
Taiwan’s Central Climate Bureau mentioned the quake, which struck close to Taitung metropolis on its southeastern coast, registered 6.8 magnitude and was a comparatively shallow depth of 4 miles.
A sequence of after-shocks had been felt throughout the island, together with in Taipei, which is greater than 200 miles away. Over 100 tremors had been recorded previously 24 hours, in accordance with Taiwan’s Central Climate Bureau.
Close to the epicenter, Taiwanese media confirmed a low-rise constructing housing a convenience store had collapsed, in accordance with pictures from the scene. Rescue operations had been underway, in accordance with media shops in Taiwan.
Within the neighboring county of Hualien, three carriages had been derailed after a platform cover collapsed, Taiwanese Railway authorities mentioned. Twenty folks onboard had been evacuated, it mentioned.
Tremors had been additionally felt within the surrounding area, with Japan initially issuing a tsunami warning close to the Okinawa prefecture. Japan’s Meteorological Company had lifted all tsunami warnings for the nation as of Sunday night native time.
The quake was additionally detected in Hong Kong, town’s observatory mentioned.
A 6.4-magnitude quake had earlier rattled Taitung on Saturday.
Taiwan lies close to the junction of two tectonic plates and is vulnerable to earthquakes. Greater than 100 folks had been killed in a quake in southern Taiwan in 2016, whereas a 7.3 magnitude quake killed greater than 2,000 folks in 1999.
Reuters and Arata Yamamoto contributed.
