Taiwan hit by several earthquakes, believed to be aftershocks of deadly quake – Firstpost

The government of Taiwan said that the several earthquakes that rocked the island overnight and into Tuesday caused buildings to tremble. The tremors were believed to be aftershocks of a massive, fatal earthquake that struck the island more than two weeks ago.

At 2:30 am (1830 GMT), the biggest earthquake—measured by the US Geological Survey to be 6.1 in magnitude—occurred. A few minutes later, a 6.0 earthquake struck.

Their respective values ​​were reported by Taipei’s Central Weather Administration as 6.0 and 6.3.

Although no injuries have been recorded thus far, according to the authorities, the constant shaking caused a sleepless night even for people in Taipei, the capital located about 150 kilometers (90 miles) to the north, where glass panels and walls trembled in swaying homes .

“I was too scared to move and stayed in bed,” said office worker Kevin Lin, 53, in Taipei, who told AFP he was jolted awake by the intense quakes.

Around 8:00 am, a 5.8-magnitude tremor shook the capital as commuters made their way to work.

The series of earthquakes started Monday around 5:00 pm, originating from Hualien on the central east coast of Taiwan.

The mountainous county was the epicenter of a magnitude-7.4 earthquake that hit April 3, which Taiwan said was the “strongest in 25 years”, triggering landslides that blocked roads and severely damaged buildings around the main city of Hualien.

At least 17 people were killed, with the latest body found in a quarry on April 13.

In Hualien on Tuesday, a hotel building that was previously damaged started tilting at an angle overnight after the earthquakes, according to footage obtained by AFP.

“Please come out for your safety. Let’s evacuate first OK? Anyone still inside? Please come down,” shouted a firefighter to the residents of nearby buildings.

Hualien county government announced that schools and offices would be closed Tuesday due to the continuous aftershocks.

Withstanding quakes

In Taipei, Lin said he had seen news of the hotel in Hualien, which showed how powerful even the aftershocks can be.

“I live in a 40-year-old apartment and it really worries me whether the apartment can withstand so many earthquakes,” he told AFP.

He added that while the Taiwanese public are taught what to do when a tremor hits, “it is only useful for a small quake”.

“For a big one, it doesn’t really matter how much earthquake response you’re taught.”

Taiwan sees frequent earthquakes due to its location at the junction of two tectonic plates.

The April 3 earthquake was followed by more than 1,100 aftershocks, which caused rockfalls around Hualien.

It was the most serious in Taiwan since 1999, when a magnitude-7.6 earthquake hit the island. The death toll then was far higher, with 2,400 people killed in the deadliest natural disaster in the island’s history.

Stricter building regulations – including enhanced seismic requirements in its building codes – and widespread public disaster awareness had staved off a more serious catastrophe in the April 3 earthquake.