A powerful 7.0 magnitude earthquake hit waters off Taiwan’s northeastern coast late Saturday night, according to the island’s Central Weather Administration.
The quake struck at 11:05pm local time around 32 kilometres offshore from Yilan, at a depth of approximately 73 kilometres. Strong shaking was felt across northern Taiwan, including in the capital, Taipei, where residents reported swaying buildings.
Government emergency alerts were pushed to mobile phones within moments of the tremor. Local media said some ceilings collapsed and supermarket goods were knocked from shelves, though no serious damage was immediately confirmed.
Rail and high-speed train services were briefly slowed as a safety measure before operations began returning to normal. Taipei city officials said early assessments found no reports of major damage.
Authorities said the earthquake did not meet the threshold for a tsunami warning. President Lai Ching-te urged the public to remain alert, check on loved ones and prepare for potential aftershocks.
The shaking triggered evacuations at a limited number of facilities operated by Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company. The company said staff were moved outdoors and accounted for under emergency protocols, adding that safety systems across its sites remained fully operational.
Taiwan plays a critical role in the global technology industry as the world’s leading producer of advanced semiconductor chips. Any disruption to its chipmaking operations has the potential to ripple through global supply chains, affecting industries ranging from electronics to automotive manufacturing.
The island sits along major tectonic fault lines and experiences frequent seismic activity. In April 2024, a magnitude-7.2 earthquake struck eastern Taiwan, killing at least 18 people and injuring more than 1,000. A devastating 7.3 quake in 1999 claimed more than 2,000 lives.
7+ aftershocks so far omg
Also, images and videos from Hualien, courtesy of Gregory Kato: #Earthquake #Taiwan
Magnitude 7.5, Taiwan Seismic Intensity 6 upper pic.twitter.com/QZL1NXXuzT— Gino Lopez | 盧培德 (@ginollopez) April 3, 2024
Because apparently chips aren’t expensive enough yet. Thank you God