Anjali Sharma
GG News Bureau
WASHINGTON DC, 4th April. US Geological Survey on Wednesday has confirmed that a powerful earthquake measured 7.4 on the Richter scale rocked Taiwan’s eastern shores.
“Notable quake, preliminary info: M 6.5 – 11 km NE of Hualien City, Taiwan,” said the USGS in a post on X.
The epicentre of the temblor was located in the Pacific Ocean, 25.0 kilometres south-southeast of Hualien County Hall, at a depth of 15.5 km, according to the administration’s Seismology Center, Central News Agency reported.
Central Weather Agency said that an intensity level of 5+ was reported in Yilan County in the northeast and in Miaoli County in the north, while 5- was reported in Taipei City, New Taipei City, Taoyuan City and Hsinchu County in the north, Taichung City, Changhua County and Nantou County in central Taiwan,
CNA reported that due to the temblor, metro systems in Taipei, Taichung and Kaohsiung were suspended and the suspension is expected to last 40 to 60 minutes.
A tsunami warning has been declared for the coastal areas of southwestern Japan’s Miyakojima and Yaeyama regions, as well as the main island of Okinawa in Okinawa Prefecture.
Authorities have urged residents in these regions to promptly evacuate to higher ground or safe locations, according to Japanese NHK reported.
The reports indicated a 30-centimeter tsunami was recorded at Yonaguni Island 9:18 a Japan time on Wednesday.
Forecasters anticipate tsunami waves reaching up to 3 meters in height in the affected area.
According to NHK, the alert was prompted by an earthquake with an estimated magnitude of 7.5, occurring shortly before 9 am The Japan Meteorological Agency identified the earthquake’s epicenter near Taiwan.
The anticipated tsunami arrival times are projected for 9:30 a.m. in the Miyakojima-Yaeyama region and 10 am in the Okinawa main island region.
Japan Meteorological Agency sounded the alarm for Miyakojima and Okinawa islands, cautioning residents about imminent waves as high as 3 meters, NHK added.
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