A strong earthquake struck off the coast of Taiwan early Wednesday morning, shaking the entire island and causing buildings to collapse. Japan has issued a tsunami warning for the southern Japanese archipelago of Okinawa.
Taiwan 0918 Earthquake Central Emergency Response Center | via Reuters
A powerful earthquake shook the entire island of Taiwan early Wednesday, collapsing buildings in the southern city and setting off a tsunami that washed ashore on Japan's southern islands.
The five-story building in sparsely populated Hualien City suffered extensive damage, with the first floor collapsing and the remaining floors left leaning at a 45-degree angle. In the capital, Taipei, tiles fell from old buildings and some new office buildings.
Rail services were suspended across the island of 23 million people, and subway service in Taipei was also suspended. But things appeared to be quickly returning to normal in the capital, with children going to school and morning commutes back to normal.
Taiwan's earthquake monitoring agency said it had a magnitude of 7.2, while the U.S. Geological Survey said it had a magnitude of 7.4. It occurred at 7:58 a.m. about 18 kilometers south-southwest of Hualien, and reached a depth of about 35 kilometers (21 miles).
Wu Chien-fu, head of Taiwan's Earthquake Monitoring Bureau, said the impact was felt as far as Kinmen Island, which is under Taiwanese control off the coast of China. Multiple aftershocks were felt in Taipei within an hour of the initial quake.
The Japan Meteorological Agency predicts a tsunami of up to 3 meters (9.8 feet) will hit the Okinawa Islands in southern Japan. Approximately 15 minutes after the earthquake occurred, 30cm waves were observed off the coast of Yonaguni Island. The Japan Automobile Manufacturers' Association says waves could also hit the coasts of Miyakojima and the Yaeyama Islands.
The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said there is no tsunami threat to Hawaii or the U.S. Pacific territory of Guam.
The earthquake is believed to be the strongest since the 1999 earthquake that caused extensive damage in Taiwan. Taiwan is located along the Pacific Ring of Fire, a seismic fault line that encircles the Pacific Ocean, where most of the world's earthquakes occur.