A magnitude 5.2 earthquake rocked the nation’s east coast at 2:28am yesterday, the Central Weather Bureau (CWB) said, adding that it had no connection to the fatal earthquake that struck Hualien before the Lunar New Year holiday.
Bureau data showed that yesterday’s quake was centered 34.7km southeast of Yilan County Hall at a depth of 17.7km. The highest intensity generated by the earthquake was level 5, which was felt by people in Yilan’s Nanao (南澳).
The earthquake’s intensity reached 4 and 3 in Hualien County’s Heping (和平) and Yilan City respectively, while Taipei registered a reading of 2, bureau data showed.
The bureau’s Seismological Center said the epicenter of the magnitude 5.2 earthquake was different from the magnitude 6.0 earthquake that hit Hualien on Feb. 6, killing 17 people.
There is no relation between the two earthquakes, the bureau said, adding that the former was a product of the compression between the Philippine Sea plate and the Eurasian plate.
In related news, temperatures nationwide are set to rise today with the weakening of the northeast monsoon, the bureau’s Weather Forecast Center said.
Temperatures nationwide could reach between 24oC and 25oC, the bureau said, adding that residents in central and southern Taiwan could see the mercury surge to between 27oC and 29oC.
However, the bureau warned that the early morning temperature would still be low.
People living in the northeast as well as in areas north of Taichung could see the early morning temperature dip to between 14oC and 16oC, the bureau said, adding that the rest of the nation would see lows of 17oC to 19oC.
Meanwhile, cloudy to sunny skies are forecast for most parts of the nation, with isolated showers likely in Hualien and Taitung.
As for the weather tomorrow, when the nation is to observe 228 Memorial Day, the bureau said that chances of showers to heavy rainfall are high in northern, northeastern and central regions because of a well-structured frontal system that is set to pass over Taiwan.
Isolated showers are also expected in other parts of the nation, it said.
Thundershowers could occur if there is strong convection when the frontal system passes the nation. Because the frontal system would not be followed by a strong cold air mass, there would not be a drastic change in temperature, it said.
Rain brought by the frontal system would lower the temperature, particularly in central Taiwan, it added.
People planning to travel today or tomorrow should be aware of the dangers posed by foggy weather, which is likely on the west coast, Kinmen and Matsu, it said.
On Thursday, the nation would be under the influence of the northeast or east winds, it said, adding that between Friday and Sunday, the temperature would gradually rise because of the south wind, with cloudy to sunny skies forecast for most parts of the nation.
The temperature is set to drop again between Monday and Wednesday next week due to the influence of another cold air system, the bureau said.
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