A powerful magnitude 6.6 earthquake struck Taiwan’s northeastern coast late Saturday, prompting widespread tremors across the island and an official warning for residents to brace for potential aftershocks. The seismic event, which occurred at approximately 11:05 PM local time, had its epicentre located 32 kilometres (20 miles) off the coastal town of Yilan. Buildings in the capital city of Taipei swayed noticeably, with Taiwanese President William Lai Ching-te urging the public to remain vigilant in the wake of the significant tremor.
Initial assessments indicated that the earthquake’s depth, measured at 70 kilometres (43 miles), likely mitigated more severe surface damage. Despite the considerable shaking felt from north to south, authorities reported no immediate widespread casualties or major structural collapses. Local television broadcasts showed common scenes of objects dislodged from shelves and hanging fixtures swaying inside offices, reflecting the intensity of the ground motion rather than catastrophic destruction.
Eyewitness accounts from affected areas painted a vivid picture of the immediate impact. A resident in Yilan County described a disorienting experience, noting that their building initially shook vertically before transitioning to a prolonged horizontal motion. “It kept on shaking for a while. Then I ran out, but most people did not run out. I was scared,” the individual recounted, highlighting the fear and uncertainty that gripped many during the event.
The earthquake did, however, lead to some localized disruptions. Taiwan Power Company confirmed that over 3,000 homes in Yilan temporarily lost electricity following the quake. In Taipei, the city government recorded isolated incidents, including minor gas and water leakages and superficial damage to a limited number of buildings, classifying the event as a category four earthquake, which implies the possibility of minor damage.
Significantly, TSMC, the world’s largest contract chipmaker, reported that a small number of its facilities situated in the Hsinchu science park, where its headquarters are located, met evacuation criteria due to the seismic activity. While the extent of any operational impact remains to be fully assessed, such alerts underscore the rigorous safety protocols in place for critical industrial infrastructure in earthquake-prone regions.
Taiwan’s Central Weather Administration promptly issued an advisory, cautioning residents to prepare for aftershocks, with magnitudes potentially ranging between 5.5 and 6.0, in the coming day. Experts reiterated that the relatively deep and offshore nature of the initial quake was a key factor in limiting more widespread devastation, although vigilance remains paramount.
Geologically, Taiwan is highly susceptible to seismic activity, positioned near the complex junction of two major tectonic plates, the Eurasian Plate and the Philippine Sea Plate. This geological setting places the island within the Pacific Ring of Fire, a horseshoe-shaped zone known for frequent earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. Earthquakes with magnitudes between 6.0 and 6.9 are officially categorised as “strong” on the Richter scale, underscoring the considerable energy released by Saturday’s event.
The island has a history of devastating earthquakes. In 2016, a magnitude 6.4 quake in southern Taiwan claimed the lives of more than 100 people, primarily due to the collapse of a single apartment complex. Prior to that, a catastrophic magnitude 7.3 earthquake in 1999 resulted in over 2,000 fatalities, marking one of the deadliest natural disasters in Taiwan’s modern history. These historical events serve as a stark reminder of the continuous seismic threat faced by the nation and the importance of stringent building codes and emergency preparedness.
In the broader regional context, Japan’s weather agencies issued “high wave” advisories for several coastal regions, including Hokkaido, Tohoku, Hokuriku, and Okinawa, following the tremor. However, these advisories were precautionary, and crucially, no tsunami alerts or warnings were subsequently issued for any part of the region, alleviating concerns of a more widespread maritime impact.
