Taiwan's strongest earthquake in 25 years kills nine

Taiwan's most powerful earthquake in a quarter century rocked the island on Wednesday morning, killing at least nine people, injuring more than 900 and causing widespread damage. Over 50 people were reportedly trapped.

The magnitude 7.3 quake struck Taiwan's east coast near Hualien at 7:58 am, triggering more than 100 aftershocks with magnitudes ranging from 3.4 to 6.5.

The epicenter was located at a depth of approximately 12 kilometers on the boundary of the Philippine Sea Plate and the Eurasian Plate, an area prone to seismic activity, according to the China Earthquake Networks Center.

"The shaking was intense and lasted for almost a minute," a Hualien resident, surnamed Lee, told Beijing News. "It was impossible to stand still, and objects kept falling off the shelves."

Local authorities have announced the suspension of classes in schools and work in government and private offices in Hualien, where a 10-story building collapsed and several others were left leaning precariously following the tremors.

Significant damage has been reported in other parts of Taiwan. Tiles fell from older buildings as the earthquake shook Taipei, and schools evacuated their students to sports fields, equipping them with yellow safety helmets, The Associated Press reported.

Over 300,000 households across the island experienced power outages during the tremors, with more than 80,000 still lacking power despite ongoing repairs.

Local media outlets, such as China Times, reported large-scale traffic disruptions. The roadbed leading to the Taiwan Daqingshui Tunnel fractured, creating a height difference of several meters.

Train services on the Metro Taipei Circular Line, on railway routes across Taiwan and even on some routes in Guangdong, Zhejiang, Jiangxi and Fujian provinces as well as Shanghai were temporarily suspended, but are gradually resuming operations.

Following the earthquake, the China Railway Nanchang Group Co in Jiangxi initiated the top-level emergency response, implemented emergency rescue plans and exempted passengers from ticket cancellation fees.

Operation of passenger and freight trains in the affected areas was halted, and safety inspections on railway lines, bridges and tunnels and of signaling equipment were conducted.

In Fuzhou, the capital of Fujian province, railway staff and volunteers were seen assisting stranded passengers, helping them to change tickets or get refunds. Passengers were also stranded at other railway stations in the province, including Quanzhou and Xiamen.

The Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council expressed deep concern and sympathy for those affected by the earthquake and aftershocks. Spokeswoman Zhu Fenglian said the Chinese mainland is paying close attention to the details of the quake and its aftermath, and is willing to provide disaster relief assistance.

The Ministry of Natural Resources, which issued an orange alert for tsunami on Wednesday morning, lifted the second-highest level of warning later in the day. However, the local meteorological bureau in Taiwan warned of potential geological hazards and rains hindering rescue efforts.

Seismologists believe the earthquake resulted from the northward subduction of the Philippine Sea Plate. Wu Chien-fu, head of Taiwan's earthquake monitoring bureau, told China Times that strong aftershocks, ranging from 6.5 to 7.0 on the Richter scale, could occur over the next few days due to the "accumulated pressure".

While Wednesday's quake is the strongest to hit Taiwan in 25 years, Wu said its impact was less severe than the magnitude 7.6 tremor that struck the island in 1999 due to its offshore epicenter.

Xinhua contributed to this story.

limenghan@chinadaily.com.cn