Taiwan rocked by 7.0 magnitude earthquake but no major damage reported | Earthquake News

The meteorological administration said damage from the quake was expected to be limited because it was deep and struck offshore.

A 7.0 magnitude earthquake struck the northeastern coastal city of Taiwan, the island’s meteorological administration said, with no major damage immediately reported.

The earthquake, with a depth of 73 km, was felt across Taiwan and shook buildings in the capital Taipei, the administration said Saturday, giving it an intensity category four, meaning there could be minor damage.

The Taipei city government said no major damage was reported in the immediate aftermath, with a few isolated cases of damage including gas and water leaks and minor damage to buildings.

The United States Geological Survey (USGS) estimated the magnitude of the earthquake at 6.6.

More than 3,000 homes in Yilan were temporarily without power, Taiwan Power Company said.

Major microchip maker TSMC said a small number of its facilities in the northern Hsinchu Science Park had reached evacuation thresholds after the quake and evacuated staff had since returned to their posts.

The meteorological administration said people should be on alert for aftershocks measuring 5.5 to 6.0 in the coming days. He also said damage from the quake should be limited because it was relatively deep and struck offshore.

Taiwanese President William Lai Ching-te said in a social media post that authorities had the situation under control and also urged people to be on alert in case of aftershocks.

Taiwan lies near the junction of two tectonic plates and is prone to earthquakes.

In April 2024, a 7.4 magnitude earthquake killed 17 people, caused landslides and severely damaged buildings around the city of Hualien.

Officials at the time said it was the most powerful earthquake Taiwan had seen in 25 years.

More than 100 people were killed in an earthquake in southern Taiwan in 2016, while a magnitude 7.3 quake killed more than 2,000 people in 1999.