A magnitude 5.9 earthquake that struck about 33km off the coast of Hualien City was the "main shock" in a series of quakes in the area, with aftershocks expected over the next three days, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday.
Prior to the magnitude 5.9 quake shaking most of Taiwan at 6:53pm yesterday, six other earthquakes stronger than a magnitude of 4, starting with a magnitude 5.5 quake at 6:09pm, occurred in the area.
CWA Seismological Center Director Wu Chien-fu (吳健富) confirmed that the quakes were all part of the same series and that the magnitude 5.5 temblor was a "foreshock" while the 5.9 quake was the main shock.
Photo courtesy of the Central Weather Administration
The CWA initially thought the magnitude 5.5 quake might be the main shock, only to be supplanted by the 5.9 quake 44 minutes later, Wu said.
Aftershocks in the magnitude 5 to 5.5 range were still possible in the next three days, he said.
The magnitude 5.9 earthquake was felt around most of Taiwan. The highest intensity level of 4 on Taiwan's seven-tier intensity scale was registered in Hualien City, Yanliao, Taroko and Tongmen in the northern half of Hualien County.
Intensity levels of 3 were recorded in Yilan County to the north and in Nantou County on Hualien County's western border.
As of 8:30pm yesterday, the only aftershock that had occurred in the area after the 6:53pm main shock was a magnitude 4.3 quake, but its epicenter was on land, 12.3km west-northwest of the Hualien County government offices.
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