A magnitude 7.0 earthquake struck off Yilan at 11:05pm yesterday, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said.
The epicenter was located at sea, about 32.3km east of Yilan County Hall, at a depth of 72.8km, CWA data showed
There were no immediate reports of damage.
Photo courtesy of the Central Weather Administration
The intensity of the quake, which gauges the actual effect of a seismic event, measured 4 in Yilan County area on Taiwan’s seven-tier intensity scale, the data showed.
It measured 4 in other parts of eastern, northern and central Taiwan as well as Tainan, and 3 in Kaohsiung and Pingtung County, and 2 in Lienchiang and Penghu counties and 1 in Kinmen County.
The earthquake was the third one Taiwan experienced with a magnitude of 7 or higher, following the magnitude 7.3 quake on Sept. 21 in 1999 and the magnitude 7.2 quake on April 3 last year, said the CWA at a press conference held at 11:50pm yesterday.
The main cause of the earthquake was related to the interaction between the Philippine Sea Plate and the Eurasian Plate, it said, adding the earthquake had a depth of 72.8km, classified as an intermediate-depth earthquake.
Because it occurred at a relatively greater depth, the shaking intensity was spread over a fairly wide area across Taiwan, said the CWA, adding that damage from the quake should be limited because it was relatively deep and hit offshore.
People should be on alert for aftershocks of magnitude between 5.5 and 6.0 in the coming day, it added.
More than 3,000 homes in Yilan briefly lost power, Taiwan Power Co (台電) said.
Major chipmaker Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC, 台積電) said a small number of its facilities in the northern Hsinchu Science Park met evacuation thresholds after the quake and evacuated staff had since returned to their posts.
Additional reporting by Reuters
This article has been updated since it was first posted.
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