Earthquake in Taiwan
The Latest What We Know Photos Map History of Quakes
Advertisement
SKIP ADVERTISEMENT
Supported by
Taiwan’s Strongest Earthquake in 25 Years Kills 9 and Injures Hundreds
The magnitude-7.4 quake was followed by more than 200 aftershocks. Dozens of people were trapped. Two buildings in the city of Hualien teetered perilously.
Share full article
27
Read in app
Video
LIVE
00:00
0:34
Powerful Earthquake Shakes Taiwan 0:34 The quake, with a magnitude of at least 7.4, caused landslides and severe damage to some buildings.CreditCredit...Lam Yik Fei for The New York Times By Meaghan Tobin, Victoria Kim, Chris Buckley, Mike Ives, Siyi Zhao and John Yoon Reporting from Taipei and Hualien, Taiwan, and from Seoul, South Korea April 3, 2024Updated 12:40 p.m. ET 阅读简体中文版阅读繁体中文版 Get it sent to your inbox. The first quake was alarming enough — a rumble more powerful than anything felt in Taiwan for a quarter-century, lasting for more than a minute on Wednesday morning, knocking belongings and even whole buildings askew. It was so strong it set off tsunami warnings in Japan, China and the Philippines. But then, even in a fault-riddled place with long and hard experience with earthquakes, the jolt of aftershock after aftershock was startling, continuing every few minutes throughout the day. The magnitude-7.4 quake killed nine and injured at least 1,011 others, stretching an expert quake response system that has served as a model in other places. In Hualien County, close to the epicenter, 71 people were trapped in two mining areas as of Wednesday night and dozens of others were stranded, according to officials. Forty flights were canceled or delayed. Around 14,000 households were without water, and 1,000 households were without power. Advertisement SKIP ADVERTISEMENT By late Wednesday evening, 201 aftershocks had been reported, many over magnitude 5. With rain expected in the coming days, authorities warned of possible landslides. Shake intensity Source: U.S.G.S. Note: Shaking categories are based on the Modified Mercalli Intensity scale. By William B. Davis and John Keefe “I was sleeping at home when the shaking started, and it kept shaking and shaking for so long,” said Chen Hsing-yun, a 26-year-old resident of Hualien who was with her 2-year old child and her parents in a third-story apartment when the quake struck. “After the main earthquake stopped I went downstairs with my baby — but then the tremors kept coming all day.” Subscribe to The Times to read as many articles as you like. Meaghan Tobin is a technology correspondent for The Times based in Taipei, covering business and tech stories in Asia with a focus on China. More about Meaghan Tobin Victoria Kim is a reporter based in Seoul and focuses on breaking news coverage across the world. More about Victoria Kim Chris Buckley, the chief China correspondent for The Times, reports on China and Taiwan from Taipei, focused on politics, social change and security and military issues. More about Chris Buckley Mike Ives is a reporter for The Times based in Seoul, covering breaking news around the world. More about Mike Ives Siyi Zhao is a reporter and researcher who covers news in mainland China for The Times in Seoul. More about Siyi Zhao John Yoon is a Times reporter based in Seoul who covers breaking and trending news. More about John Yoon Read 27 Comments Share full article 27 Read in app Advertisement SKIP ADVERTISEMENT Comments 27Taiwan’s Strongest Earthquake in 25 Years Kills 9 and Injures HundredsSkip to Comments Share your thoughts. The Times needs your voice. We welcome your on-topic commentary, criticism and expertise. Comments are moderated for civility.
Powerful Earthquake Shakes Taiwan
The quake, with a magnitude of at least 7.4, caused landslides and severe damage to some buildings.CreditCredit...Lam Yik Fei for The New York Times By Meaghan Tobin, Victoria Kim, Chris Buckley, Mike Ives, Siyi Zhao and John Yoon
Reporting from Taipei and Hualien, Taiwan, and from Seoul, South Korea
April 3, 2024Updated 12:40 p.m. ET
阅读简体中文版阅读繁体中文版
Get it sent to your inbox.
The first quake was alarming enough — a rumble more powerful than anything felt in Taiwan for a quarter-century, lasting for more than a minute on Wednesday morning, knocking belongings and even whole buildings askew. It was so strong it set off tsunami warnings in Japan, China and the Philippines.
But then, even in a fault-riddled place with long and hard experience with earthquakes, the jolt of aftershock after aftershock was startling, continuing every few minutes throughout the day.
The magnitude-7.4 quake killed nine and injured at least 1,011 others, stretching an expert quake response system that has served as a model in other places. In Hualien County, close to the epicenter, 71 people were trapped in two mining areas as of Wednesday night and dozens of others were stranded, according to officials. Forty flights were canceled or delayed. Around 14,000 households were without water, and 1,000 households were without power.
By late Wednesday evening, 201 aftershocks had been reported, many over magnitude 5. With rain expected in the coming days, authorities warned of possible landslides.
Shake intensity
Source: U.S.G.S. Note: Shaking categories are based on the Modified Mercalli Intensity scale. By William B. Davis and John Keefe
“I was sleeping at home when the shaking started, and it kept shaking and shaking for so long,” said Chen Hsing-yun, a 26-year-old resident of Hualien who was with her 2-year old child and her parents in a third-story apartment when the quake struck. “After the main earthquake stopped I went downstairs with my baby — but then the tremors kept coming all day.”
Subscribe to The Times to read as many articles as you like.
Meaghan Tobin is a technology correspondent for The Times based in Taipei, covering business and tech stories in Asia with a focus on China. More about Meaghan Tobin
Victoria Kim is a reporter based in Seoul and focuses on breaking news coverage across the world. More about Victoria Kim
Chris Buckley, the chief China correspondent for The Times, reports on China and Taiwan from Taipei, focused on politics, social change and security and military issues. More about Chris Buckley
Mike Ives is a reporter for The Times based in Seoul, covering breaking news around the world. More about Mike Ives
Siyi Zhao is a reporter and researcher who covers news in mainland China for The Times in Seoul. More about Siyi Zhao
John Yoon is a Times reporter based in Seoul who covers breaking and trending news. More about John Yoon
Read 27 Comments
Comments 27Taiwan’s Strongest Earthquake in 25 Years Kills 9 and Injures HundredsSkip to Comments Share your thoughts. The Times needs your voice. We welcome your on-topic commentary, criticism and expertise. Comments are moderated for civility.
