A very powerful earthquake have hit Taiwan some few minutes ago, destroying buildings in the the city of Hualien, Taiwanese media outlets reported.
According to the United States Geological Service, The 6.4-magnitude quake was recorded at 11:50 p.m. and was centered about 14 miles northeast of Hualien, a city of 110,000 on Taiwan’s east coast.
There was no immediate confirmation of deaths or injuries.
“Armed forces & government agencies are responding,” Taiwan’s president, Tsai Ing-wen, wrote on Twitter. “Relief measures are underway. Stay safe.”
Taiwan’s government said that at least seven buildings had partially collapsed or were left leaning at dangerous angles, including the Marshal Hotel, where three people were trapped. Hualien Hospital was damaged, but no one was trapped inside, according to a statement from the Executive Yuan, Taiwan’s cabinet.
Images carried by Taiwan media outlets showed one multistory building pitched at a severe angle. Multiple buildings in Hualien collapsed and efforts to rescue people inside were underway, The Apple Daily, newspaper, reported.
Taiwan is prone to earthquakes and has felt a few in recent days, including magnitude 5.3 and 6.1 quakes on Sunday. No one was killed in those quakes.
Tuesday was the second anniversary of a 6.4-magnitude earthquake that struck northeast of Pingtung City in southern Taiwan, killing 117 people.
-The New York Times