Taiwan Hit by Powerful 7.4 Magnitude Earthquake, Strongest in over 25 Years

Taiwan faced one of the strongest earthquakes in over 25 years on Wednesday. A devastating 7.4-magnitude earthquake ravaged the island’s eastern coast. Taiwan’s National Fire Agency reports the death toll as nine, with more than 800 people injured so far. Numerous buildings collapsed. Originating just south of Hualien City, the quake’s impact was profound, with aftershocks reverberating across Taiwan, including its capital, Taipei. This seismic event, the strongest since 1999, resulted in significant infrastructure damage, human casualties, and injury. Thousands of homes are without electricity, a key highway is shuttered due to landslides, and numerous buildings lie in ruins.

The U.S. Geological Survey reported that the earthquake occurred at approximately 8 a.m. local time (8 p.m. Tuesday ET), originating 21 miles deep and about 11 miles south-southwest of Hualien City along the island’s eastern coastline. Initially, tsunami warnings were in place for Taiwan, southern Japan, and the Philippines but were eventually lifted.

Taiwan’s earthquake monitoring agency rated the quake at 7.2 magnitude, whereas the U.S. Geological Survey assessed it as 7.4. The epicenter was located roughly 18 kilometers (11.1 miles) south-southwest of Hualien, with a depth of about 35 kilometers (21 miles). The area experienced several aftershocks, including one measured by the USGS at a magnitude of 6.5, with a depth of 11.8 kilometers (7 miles). Quakes with shallower depths are known to inflict more damage on the surface.

Hualien City, Taiwan Hit by Powerful 7.4 Magnitude Earthquake: Actionable Insights on EigenPrism

All EigenPrism® users can assess the post-event impact of the earthquake using the following report template:

Taiwan Earthquake April 2, 2024 Impact Summary Report

This report template covers the magnitude 7.4 mainshock as well as the aftershocks that followed (including the M 6.5 aftershock).

Escape the News Cycle | Get Alerts Automatically For Events Impacting Your Assets

With Alerts, you can set Alerts and free yourself from constant event monitoring. Set up personalized alerts based on predefined impact thresholds and choose how you receive them – via email, SMS, or directly within EigenPrism. This way, you stay informed on your own terms, focusing only on the events that truly matter to your assets.

Set your alerts now.

Don’t have access to EigenPrism®?

Sign up for a trial account and access full impact reports of all events. Contact us and we’ll set up a trial account for you.