Taiwan’s worst earthquake in nearly 2 years brings only minor damage

This was the strongest earthquake in Taiwan since April 2024, when several buildings collapsed and 20 people were killed.

Taiwan reported limited damage from an earthquake powerful enough to shake buildings in the capital late Saturday, with key infrastructure operating normally and no major casualties reported.

Taiwanese authorities said major infrastructure including highways and high-speed rail were operating normally.(AFP/CNA)

The epicenter of the 7.0-magnitude earthquake that occurred at 11:05 p.m. local time was off Taiwan’s northeastern coast, some 30 kilometers (18.6 miles) east of Yilan County, according to the Central Weather Administration’s preliminary reading based on the Richter scale.

This was the strongest earthquake in Taiwan since April 2024, when several buildings collapsed and 20 people were killed. Heavy shaking was felt in the capital city Taipei, with the intensity level of 4 recorded — a moderate reading on a scale from 0 to 7.

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. said in a statement that staff at some TSMC campuses in the Hsinchu science park in northern Taiwan had returned to the sites after being evacuated as standard procedure for emergency responses.

TSMC makes its most cutting-edge chips in southern Taiwan. While it makes less advanced chips in Hsinchu, its research and development center is also there.

All power plants continue to operate normally, according to Taipower, though nearly 3,500 households in eastern Taiwan briefly lost power. Taiwanese authorities said major infrastructure including highways and high-speed rail were operating normally after the quake.

No major casualties or damage were reported as of 12:45 a.m. local time, according to a statement from the Central Emergency Operations Center, although some sporadic incidents such as gas leaks, water supply outages and minor damage to buildings were reported.