Dramatic Visuals Surface As Taiwan Rocked By ‘Strongest Earthquake in 25 Years’
Amassive earthquake hit Taiwan’s capital city — Taipei — shortly before 8 am (00:00 GMT) local time on Wednesday, triggering Tsunami warnings for the self-ruled island as well as parts of southern Japan.
The United States Geological Survey (USGS) said the quake had a magnitude of 7.4, with its epicentre at 18 kilometres south of Taiwan’s Hualien City at a depth of 34.8 km.
While Japan’s Meteorological Agency said the magnitude of the quake was 7.7. Taipei’ seismology official said that this earthquake in Taiwan is the “strongest in 25 years”.
As the quake shook up the city, terrifying visuals surfaced on social media showing the moment it took place and what happened after.
🚨The video of the heavy shaking inside a TV studio in Taiwan during the 7.5 magnitude earthquake. #earthquakepic.twitter.com/MmL5qwSEU9
— AJ Huber (@Huberton) April 3, 2024
One of the videos shows ceiling hangings swinging back and forth as the quake hit the city. Visuals shared by a X user displayed commuters stopping mid-way on a bridge as it started shaking aggressively during the earthquake. People on scooters, cars all took off quickly after the quake stopped.
One of the terrifying videos shows the metro bridge shaking left to right amid the high-magnitude earthquake.
Visuals from Hualien City’s Beibin street display the aftermath of the earthquake as a building — located on the corner of the street — was left in a slanted position with partial of its side roof fallen on the bikes parked right outside it.
🚨BREAKING: 7.5 magnitude earthquake in Taiwan #earthquake
The shaking was so bad that people commuting to work stopped.pic.twitter.com/jNgUZm9pMl— AJ Huber (@Huberton) April 3, 2024
Tsunami waves as high as three metres (10 feet) were expected immediately for remote Japanese islands in the region, including Miyakojima island, said the Japanese meteorological agency.
A banner on Japanese national broadcaster NHK had said, “Evacuate!” NHK’s anchor said, “Tsunami is coming. Please evacuate immediately. Do not stop. Do not go back.”
Taiwan is regularly hit by earthquakes because the island lies near the junction of two tectonic plates.
A 7.6-magnitude jolt hit Taiwan in September 1999, killing around 2,400 people in the deadliest natural disaster in the island’s history.
