Thirty-five earthquakes have exceeded 5.5 on the Richter scale so far this year, the most in 14 years, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said on Facebook on Thursday.
A large earthquake in Hualien County on April 3 released five times as much the energy as the 921 Earthquake on Sept. 21, 1999, the agency said in its latest earthquake report for this year.
Hualien County has had the most national earthquake alerts so far this year at 64, with Yilan County second with 23 and Changhua County third with nine, the agency said.
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The April 3 earthquake was what caused the increase in seismic events exceeding 5.5 on the Richter scale this year, CWA Seismological Center Director Wu Chien-fu (吳健富) said.
Aftershocks from the April 3 quake are still occurring, Wu said, adding that the event was unique and its characteristics are still being studied.
While aftershocks from the 921 quake were numerous, lasting for two to three years after the main event, their magnitude was low, he said.
The differences between the two major earthquakes are due to the different mechanisms that created them, he said.
For a nationwide alert to be issued, the CWA must estimate the magnitude of an earthquake to be 5 or greater, while local alerts are issued when the intensity is expected to reach at least level 4 on its seven-tier scale or the magnitude is to exceed 6.5, the agency said.
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