2024 Taiwan earthquake

7.4 magnitude earthquake near Hualien

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2024 Taiwan earthquake

150km
100miles

UTC time| 2024-04-02 23:58:11
USGS-ANSS| ComCat
Local date| 3 April 2024
Local time| 07:58
Magnitude| 7.4 Mw
Depth| 34.8 km (22 mi)
Epicenter| 23°46′N 121°40′E﻿ / ﻿23.77°N 121.67°E﻿ / 23.77; 121.67
near Hualien City, Hualien County, Taiwan
Type| Reverse
Areas affected| Taiwan
Max. intensity| CWB 6+

VIII (Severe)
Landslides| Yes
Aftershocks| Mw 6.4, Mww 5.7
Casualties| 1 dead, 50+ injuries

On 3 April 2024, a magnitude 7.4 earthquake struck 25 km (16 mi) south-southeast of Hualien City, Hualien County, Taiwan. It was the strongest earthquake in Taiwan since the 1999 Jiji earthquake, and there have been several aftershocks above magnitude five.

## Tectonic setting[edit]

Taiwan has a history of many strong earthquakes.[1] The island is located within a complex zone of convergence between the Philippine Sea Plate and Eurasian Plate. At the location of the earthquake, these plates converge at a rate of 75 millimetres (3.0 in) per year. To the south of Taiwan, oceanic crust of the Eurasian Plate is subducting beneath the Philippine Sea Plate creating an island arc, the Luzon Arc. At Taiwan the oceanic crust has all been subducted and the arc is colliding with continental crust of the Eurasian Plate. To the north of Taiwan the Philippine Sea Plate is in contrast subducting beneath the Eurasian Plate, forming the Ryukyu Arc.[2]

## Earthquake[edit]

The earthquake had a maximum CWB seismic intensity of 6+ in Hualien City and 5 in Taipei.[3] A Mw 6.4 aftershock struck at 00:11 UTC,[4] followed by a Mw 5.7 event at 00:35[5] a Mw 5.5 at 00:43[6] and one measuring Mw 5.7 at 00:46.[7] The mainshock was the strongest earthquake to hit Taiwan since the 1999 Jiji earthquake, which measured Mw 7.7.[8] The shaking was felt in Shanghai and several cities in China's Fujian Province.[9]

The earthquake had a focal mechanism corresponding to reverse-faulting at 34.8 km (21.6 mi) depth. According to the United States Geological survey, the rupture occurred on a northeast-southwest-striking, moderately dipping, reverse fault within the Eurasian Plate. The estimated rupture dimensions for a similarly-sized reverse-faulting earthquake is 60 km (37 mi) by 35 km (22 mi).[10]

## Tsunami[edit]

The Japan Meteorological Agency issued a tsunami warning for Okinawa Prefecture and as waves of 3 m (9.8 ft) were expected,[11] which was later downgraded to a "tsunami advisory."[12] A 30 cm (12 in) wave was observed at Yonaguni about 15 minutes after the earthquake. Waves were also expected along the Miyako and Yaeyama islands.[13] Due to this, flights in Okinawa and Kagoshima were suspended, including Naha Airport which was evacuated to the third floor.[14][15] Evacuations were ordered for four coastal provinces of the Philippines. An advisory was issued to 23 provinces for "high tsunami waves".[16][9][17]

## Impact[edit]

The Taiwanese fire department reported at least one person killed and over 50 injured.[18]

In Hualien City, two houses, a nine-story building and a restaurant collapsed, trapping many people inside.[19][20] A high school building in the city also sustained heavy damage.[21] A warehouse building also collapsed in Taipei, causing three minor injuries and leaving one more person awaiting rescue.[22] Tiles were dislodged and fell off older buildings and some newer structures in the capital.[13] Subsidence in Xindian District caused seven houses to collapse, forcing 12 people to evacuate.[23] A viaduct of the New Taipei Circular Line was reported to be misaligned, and all service on the Taipei Metro was briefly suspended for safety checks.[24] In Taichung, rockfalls blocked a road, damaging three cars and injuring a driver.[25] Power outages affected 87,000 homes in Taiwan according to Taipower,[26] of which, 14,833 were in the city. 5,306 were restored within approximately 25 minutes of the earthquake.[27]

A massive landslide occurred near Xiulin.[28] After at least nine rockfalls occurred on Suhua Highway, it was closed. Rockfalls occurred on another highway which hit at least 12 cars and injured nine.[29] Guishan Island suffered damage, with a large portion of the island collapsing into the ocean.[30]

## See also[edit]

* List of earthquakes in 2024
* List of earthquakes in Taiwan

## References[edit]

1. ^ Hume, Tim (7 February 2018). "More than 50 people could be trapped inside this building". VICE News. Archived from the original on 7 February 2018. Retrieved 8 February 2018.
2. ^ Molli G.; Malavieille J. (2010). "Orogenic processes and the Corsica/Apennines geodynamic evolution: insights from Taiwan". International Journal of Earth Sciences. 100 (5): 1207–1224. doi:10.1007/s00531-010-0598-y. S2CID 129517282.
3. ^ "快訊／花蓮7.2地震！整棟大樓「整根拔起」倒塌 驚悚畫面曝光" (in Chinese). TVBS. 3 April 2024. Archived from the original on 3 April 2024. Retrieved 3 April 2024.
4. ^ National Earthquake Information Center (3 April 2024). "M 6.4 - 11 km NE of Hualien City, Taiwan". United States Geological Survey. Archived from the original on 3 April 2024. Retrieved 3 April 2024.
5. ^ National Earthquake Information Center (3 April 2024). "M 5.7 - 23 km NNE of Hualien City, Taiwan". United States Geological Survey. Archived from the original on 3 April 2024. Retrieved 3 April 2024.
6. ^ National Earthquake Information Center (3 April 2024). "M 5.5 - 2 km SSW of Hualien City, Taiwan". United States Geological Survey. Archived from the original on 3 April 2024. Retrieved 3 April 2024.
7. ^ National Earthquake Information Center (3 April 2024). "M 5.7 - 23 km NE of Hualien City, Taiwan". United States Geological Survey. Archived from the original on 3 April 2024. Retrieved 3 April 2024.
8. ^ "Tsunami warnings issued after strong earthquake off east coast of Taiwan". CNN. Archived from the original on 3 April 2024. Retrieved 3 April 2024.
9. ^ a b "Strong quake rocks Taiwan, tsunami warnings issued". Reuters. 2 April 2024. Retrieved 2 April 2024.
10. ^ National Earthquake Information Center (3 April 2024). "M 7.4 - 18 km SSW of Hualien City, Taiwan". United States Geological Survey. Archived from the original on 3 April 2024. Retrieved 3 April 2024.
11. ^ "Tsunami warning issued for Okinawa after strong quake hits near Taiwan". The Japan Times. 3 April 2024. Archived from the original on 3 April 2024. Retrieved 3 April 2024.
12. ^ "Live: Taiwan hit by magnitude-7.5 earthquake, collapsing buildings". ABC News. 3 April 2024. Retrieved 3 April 2024.
13. ^ a b "A strong earthquake rocks Taiwan, collapsing buildings and causing a tsunami". Associated Press. CNBC. 3 April 2024. Archived from the original on 3 April 2024. Retrieved 3 April 2024.
14. ^ "Japan's Naha Airport on Okinawa has diverted all flights". CNN. 3 April 2024. Retrieved 3 April 2024.
15. ^ "Flights to and from Japan's Okinawa and Kagoshima regions suspended, Japan Airlines says". CNN. 3 April 2024. Retrieved 3 April 2024.
16. ^ "Philippines warns of tsunami, orders evacuation of coastal areas after Taiwan quake". Agence France-Presse. New Straits Times. 3 April 2024. Archived from the original on 3 April 2024. Retrieved 3 April 2024.
17. ^ "Philippines warns of tsunami, orders evacuations after Taiwan quake". ABS-CBN News. 3 April 2024. Retrieved 3 April 2024.`{{cite news}}`: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
18. ^ Ahmad, Reged (3 April 2024). "Taiwan earthquake live updates: evacuations and tsunami warning in Japan; buildings collapsed in Taiwan". The Guardian. Retrieved 3 April 2024.
19. ^ "0403花蓮地震 本報記者現場直擊 9層大樓傾倒 地下室3人受困" (in Chinese). United Daily News. 3 April 2024. Archived from the original on 3 April 2024. Retrieved 3 April 2024.
20. ^ "大地震！花蓮2棟民宅倒塌「屋內人數不明」 當地警消搶救中" (in Chinese). Yahoo! Kimo. 3 April 2024. Archived from the original on 3 April 2024. Retrieved 3 April 2024.
21. ^ "花蓮7.2大地震！花蓮女中校舍驚傳塌陷 鋼筋外露「現場畫面」曝" (in Chinese). Yahoo! Kimo. 3 April 2024. Archived from the original on 3 April 2024. Retrieved 3 April 2024.
22. ^ "0403花蓮大地震 中和倉庫倒塌！ 3人受傷1人待援" (in Chinese). United Daily News. 3 April 2024. Archived from the original on 3 April 2024. Retrieved 3 April 2024.
23. ^ "0403大地震／新店安泰路傳7棟房屋下陷 疏散12人" (in Chinese). United Daily News. 3 April 2024. Archived from the original on 3 April 2024. Retrieved 3 April 2024.
24. ^ 花蓮強震》新北捷運環狀線疑歪斜 乘客疏散畫面曝光
25. ^ "花蓮7.2大地震！中橫便道落石猛砸釀1傷 11人受困明隧道待救" (in Chinese). China Times. 3 April 2024. Retrieved 3 April 2024.
26. ^ "Live: Taiwan hit by magnitude-7.5 earthquake, collapsing buildings". ABC News. 3 April 2024. Retrieved 3 April 2024.
27. ^ "影／0403大地震 台中9千多戶停電 山城住戶：嚇到腿軟" (in Chinese). United Daily News. 3 April 2024. Archived from the original on 3 April 2024. Retrieved 3 April 2024.
28. ^ "快訊／7.2地震花蓮崇德山崩 石塊高處掉落塵土飛揚恐怖畫面曝" (in Chinese). Yahoo! Kimo. 3 April 2024. Archived from the original on 3 April 2024. Retrieved 3 April 2024.
29. ^ "9 injured on Taiwan highway as earthquake causes landslides and rockfalls". CNN. 3 April 2024. Retrieved 3 April 2024.
30. ^ "台湾7.2可怕强震 宜兰外海惊见龟山岛「龟头断裂」" (in Chinese (China)). 2 April 2024. Archived from the original on 3 April 2024. Retrieved 3 April 2024.

* v
* t
* e

← Earthquakes in 2024

January|

* Noto, Japan (7.5, January 1) †‡
* Uqturpan, China (7.0, January 22)

March|

* East Sepik, Papua New Guinea (6.9, March 24)

April|

* Hualien, Taiwan (7.4, April 3)

* † indicates earthquake resulting in at least 30 deaths
* ‡ indicates the deadliest earthquake of the year
* Dates for all earthquakes are in UTC

* v
* t
* e

Earthquakes in Taiwan

Earthquakes|

| Before 20th century|

* 1694 Taipei
* 1848 Changhua
* 1862 Tainan
* 1867 Keelung

|

20th century|

* 1904 Douliu
* 1906 Meishan
* 1910 Taiwan
* 1916–1917 Nantou
* 1935 Shinchiku-Taichū
* 1941 Chungpu
* 1946 Hsinhua
* 1951 East Rift Valley
* 1959 Hengchun
* 1963 Su-ao
* 1964 Baihe
* 1966 Hualien
* 1972 Ruisui
* 1986 Hualien
* 1994 Taiwan Strait
* 1999 Jiji ("921")

21st century|

* 2002 Hualien
* 2006 Hengchun
* 2009 Nantou
* 2009 Hualien
* 2010 Kaohsiung
* March 2013 Nantou
* June 2013 Nantou
* 2016 Kaohsiung–Tainan
* 2018 Hualien
* 2019 Hualien
* 2022 Taitung
* 2024 Hualien

Organisations|

* Central Weather Bureau
* National Center for Research on Earthquake Engineering

*[Max.]: Maximum
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