The ground shook furiously in Taiwan this Wednesday, April 3, triggering a devastating sequence of events that culminated in the strongest earthquake the island has faced in a quarter of a century.
An earthquake of magnitude 7.4 on the Richter scale, accompanied by numerous aftershocks, has left at least four dead and 57 injured, in addition to causing the building collapse and affect various infrastructures.
On a section of the Taroko Dekaron Highway in Xiulin Municipality, three people lost their lives and more than 40 were injured, while another individual died near the Daqingshui tunnel due to a rockfall, reports the Fire Department of Taiwan. The magnitude of the disaster has mobilized emergency teams in a race against time to rescue those trapped in the rubble.
The scene of a natural tragedy
The largest of the recorded aftershocks reached a magnitude of 6.5 degrees, all focusing on Hualian County and its surroundings, in the east of the island. The shaking was so intense that it was felt throughout the region, according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS).
A magnitude 7.4 earthquake shook the sea area near Hualien, Taiwan, on Wednesday, April 3, 2024.
In response, the mayor of Taipei, Chiang Wananhas raised the city’s disaster response level to level two, deploying personnel from public works, industrial stations and firefighters, and establishing emergency response teams in each unit.
The mayor urged the population to stay alert to the possibility of new aftershocks and highlighted the rapid activation of emergency protocols. Fortunately, the tsunami warning initially issued by the Taiwan Meteorological Center was later lifted after it was assessed that the risk had passed.
The tremor crossed borders, reaching the Japanese islands of Okinawa with an intensity of four degrees. This situation led the Japanese authorities to issue, albeit briefly, a tsunami warning that was later withdrawn. Likewise, the Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) of the Philippines had also issued a tsunami warning, which was later cancelled.
Why do earthquakes occur in Taiwan?
This earthquake is recorded in Taiwan’s collective memory as the most intense since the September 1999 earthquake, which reached a magnitude of 7.3 and resulted in the loss of more than 2,400 lives, in addition to leaving 11,000 injured.
The volatile nature of the region, prone to earthquakes due to its location on the Pacific Ring of Fire, underscores the importance of preparation and rapid response in the face of such disasters.
Specifically, the frequency and magnitude of earthquakes in Taiwan are due to its geographical position, located at the conjunction of two tectonic plates: the Eurasian and the Philippine. This plate interaction is responsible for regular seismic activity in the region, including the recent catastrophic event. This region is the site of approximately 90% of the world’s earthquakes, which explains the frequency with which Taiwan is affected by these natural disasters.
Understanding these natural phenomena is crucial to improve efforts of risk preparation and mitigation, with the aim of protecting lives and property from future seismic threats.