An earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 6 struck southern Taiwan early Tuesday, as reported by the U.S. Geological Survey. The quake occurred at 12:17 a.m. (1600 GMT Monday) with its epicenter located 12 kilometers (7 miles) north of Yujing at a preliminary depth of 10 kilometers (6 miles). Taiwan’s Central Weather Administration recorded a magnitude of 6.4 for the earthquake.
Fortunately, there have been no immediate reports of deaths resulting from the quake. However, rescuers are currently assessing the extent of the damage caused by the seismic event. The Taiwan fire department reported that six individuals, including a child, were rescued from a collapsed house in Nanxi District, Tainan city, sustaining minor injuries. Additionally, one person was injured by falling objects, and the Zhuwei bridge on a provincial highway was reported to be damaged.
This recent earthquake comes after a magnitude 7.4 quake struck Taiwan's mountainous eastern coast of Hualien last April, resulting in the tragic loss of at least 13 lives and injuring over 1,000 individuals. Following the strongest earthquake in 25 years, the region experienced numerous aftershocks.
Taiwan is situated along the Pacific “Ring of Fire,” a zone of seismic faults encircling the Pacific Ocean where a significant number of the world’s earthquakes occur. The country remains vigilant in its preparedness and response to such natural disasters to minimize the impact on its population and infrastructure.
