At least 934 people were injured in the disaster, Taiwanese authorities said. The numbers could rise even further. For example, buildings collapsed in the city of Hualien, leaving about 131 people trapped under the rubble. Rescue efforts are in full swing. Public transport has been shut down in various places on the island with 23 million inhabitants.
Wednesday morning’s quake was felt throughout Taiwan and neighboring islands and occurred at a depth of 15.5 kilometers. The Taiwanese Meteorological Institute is talking about an earthquake with a magnitude of 7.2. The Japan Meteorological Institute first reported 7.5, but later adjusted this to 7.7. In September 1999, a magnitude 7.6 earthquake killed as many as 2,400 people in Taiwan.
Tsunami warnings were issued for Taiwan, Japan and the Philippines. A small tsunami already reached the Japanese islands of Yonaguni and Ishigaki. The warnings have now been lifted for Japan and the Philippines.
Major Taiwanese chip manufacturer TSMC has evacuated its business premises as a precaution. Residents of Taiwan are without power in several places, but there are no large-scale power outages.
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