A 6.5-magnitude earthquake hits the island of Taiwan

earthquake hit A magnitude of 6.5 was recorded in northeastern Taiwan on Sunday, According to the weather agency, residents reported strong tremors in the capital, Taipei. The initial movement was followed by an aftershock of magnitude 5.4.

According to the United States Geological Survey (USGS), the earthquake was a magnitude 6. The epicenter of the earthquake was in Yilan Prefecture, The Meteorological Authority stated that this happened at 1:11 pm (0511 GMT) at a depth of 67 km.

The Public transportation in Taipei has been partially suspended.

earthquake It lasted about 10 seconds and felt like the strongest of the year, according to a journalist from France Press agency in Taipei.

Taiwan Emergency Operations Center reported Wounded woman, woman hit by falling stones. Her friends were carrying her to the highest mountain in eastern Hualien Province.

The main earthquake was followed by a 5.4 aftershock and the subway system in Taipei was shut down as a precaution for less than an hour before service resumed. Tom Parker, a British painter who lives in Taipei, said he was taking the subway when the earthquake struck. “It’s the first time I’ve felt an earthquake on the subway. It’s like a roller coasterHe tweeted, adding that other travelers had been asked to take refuge at the station.

Several other people reported the earthquake on social media. “I got really scared, I screamed in my room,” Facebook user Yu Ting wrote. “This earthquake is really big, the glass in my living room has shattered.”

Some grocers reported that food and other products were thrown off shelves due to vibration.

Authorities said they do not expect widespread damage due to The earthquake was not shallow. “You don’t have to worry too much,” said Chen Kuchang, head of the Seismological Center of the Central Bureau of Meteorology. “The earthquake is deep and its intensity is not great… It would have caused unpredictable damage if it was shallow“he added.

Earthquakes have been frequent in Taiwan since then The island is located in the middle of the union of two tectonic plates. Hualien is a very touristy place, In 2018, it was hit by a 6.4-magnitude earthquake. That killed 17 people and injured nearly 300.

In September 1999, A 7.6-magnitude earthquake killed about 2,400 people. The worst natural disaster in the island’s history. A 6.2-magnitude earthquake was recorded in December 2020However, there were no injuries or serious damage.

(With information from AFP and Europa Press)