The strongest earthquake in 25 years shook Taiwan on April 3 during the morning rush hour. The quake killed nine people and trapped dozens in the quarry, with some residents scrambling out of damaged buildings.
The earthquake at 8 a.m. Wednesday had a magnitude of 7.2, according to Taiwan's earthquake monitoring agency. The U.S. Geological Survey puts it at 7.4. The tremor occurred about 11 miles off the coast of Hualien on Taiwan's east coast. Multiple aftershocks followed. After the earthquake, several buildings in Hualien tilted at severe angles and their ground floors were crushed.
Just 93 miles away, tiles fell from old buildings in the capital, Taipei. The school evacuated students to the playground and provided them with yellow safety helmets. As aftershocks continued, some children covered themselves with textbooks to protect themselves from falling objects.
Television footage showed neighbors and rescue workers lifting residents, including young children, out of windows and onto the street after the tremor caused doors to close.
People in Shanghai and several provinces on China's southeastern coast, about 160 miles away, also felt the quake.
Taiwan is located along the Pacific Ring of Fire. Its seismic fault lines encircle the Pacific Ocean. Most of the world's earthquakes occur around the ring.
Earthquakes occur regularly in Taiwan. Its inhabitants are among the best prepared for them. But authorities expected a relatively weak quake and did not issue a warning. The final event was strong enough to frighten even those accustomed to such shaking.
“I'm getting used to it. [earthquakes]. But today was the first time I was so scared that an earthquake brought me to tears,” says Shenxuen Keng. He lives in Taipei and lives in an apartment on the 5th floor. “I was woken up by an earthquake. It was the first time I felt such strong shaking.”
Unfortunately, nine people died in this earthquake. Three climbers have died in a landslide in Taroko National Park, the local United Daily News reported. The other person was a van driver in the same area.
Current reports say 934 people were injured.
Authorities were unable to contact 50 people who were on board a minibus in the national park after the earthquake disrupted the telephone network. In addition, 64 people were trapped in one quarry and six in another, according to Taiwan's National Fire and Disaster Management Agency.
After the earthquake, traffic along the east coast came to a near standstill. Landslides and falling objects hit tunnels and highways. Railway service was halted on the island of 23 million people, with some tracks twisted due to the stress of the earthquake. In Taipei, part of the subway was split apart but did not collapse.
The initial panic after the earthquake quickly dissipated. The island prepares for such events by holding drills in schools and issuing notifications through public media and mobile phones. Seismologist Stephen Gao says Taiwan is one of the most well-prepared countries in the world.
By noon on Wednesday, subway stations on the outskirts of Taipei were once again crowded with commuters and people arriving for hot spring vacations.
The economic impact of the earthquake has not yet been calculated. However, Taiwan is a leading manufacturer of the world's most sophisticated computer chips and other high-tech products. Many people are very sensitive to earthquakes.
Taiwanese semiconductor manufacturer TSMC supplies semiconductors to companies such as Apple. The company evacuated some workers from some factories in Hsinchu, near Taipei. However, authorities say all factories in the city's science park are functioning normally.
We pray for the repose of the souls of those affected by the earthquake.
You made the earth tremble. You tore it open. It will stumble, so please repair the broken parts. —Psalm 60:2