Four days after a series of strong tremors killed three people, local residents in central Taiwan yesterday experienced three big tremors, all measuring above 4.3 on the Richter scale.
The greatest worry for many living in mountain areas where the land has been destabilized by the recent tremors, however, was Central Weather Bureau (CWB) forecasts of heavy rain yesterday.
Residents in central and southern Taiwan were shaken early yesterday morning by two unexpected earthquakes, measuring 4.7 and 4.3 on the Richter scale.
The first tremor, with an epicenter 19.9km from Taichung and 11.5km beneath the earth's surface, jolted people from sleep at 1:28am.
About half-an-hour later, another tremor hit, with almost the same epicenter.
Following the two tremors, central Taiwan was hit by a tremor at 1:57pm yesterday, measuring 4.3 on the Richter scale with an epicenter 19.3km south of Taichung City and 13.3km beneath the earth's surface.
No quake-related deaths or injuries were reported.
Last Wednesday, in central Taiwan landslides in mountain areas triggered by a quake of 5.3 on the Richter scale killed three people and caused several casualties.
Since then, central Taiwan has experienced aftershocks every day.
Seismologists at CWB said that such tremors were aftershocks from last year's 921 earthquake. Officials cautioned people yesterday of possible moderate quakes in the coming days.
However, the more pressing situation faced by residents in central Taiwan is the possibility of further landslides and flooding if forecasted rain does fall in the area.
Tsai Fu-tien (
Officials from the Water Resources Department (WRD, 水利處) have also been struggling to handle barrier lakes formed by the 921 quake eight months ago.
Residents living downstream describe the barrier lakes as time bombs which might be triggered by heavy rain. But Huang Chin-shan (
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