Tainan Rocked: Aftershocks Loom After Significant Earthquake in Southern Taiwan

CWA Warns of Potential Aftershocks Following Powerful Seismic Event

Taipei, April 3 - Residents of Tainan in southern Taiwan experienced a significant tremor on Thursday morning, as a magnitude 4.9 earthquake struck the region at 11:47 a.m., prompting warnings of potential aftershocks from the Central Weather Administration (CWA).

The CWA reported that the epicenter of the earthquake was located 32.3 kilometers northeast of Tainan City Hall (Guantian District), with a depth of 7.3 km. The intensity of the quake, a measure of its impact, reached level 4 on Taiwan's 7-tier intensity scale in both Tainan and Chiayi County.

According to Wu Chien-fu (吳健富), director of the CWA's Seismological Center, the earthquake was caused by the ongoing collision of the Eurasian and Philippine Sea plates east of Taiwan. He added that while the depth was relatively shallow, only a few aftershocks were anticipated, likely to be around magnitude 4, over the next three days.

The seismic event triggered temporary disruptions in transportation. Two Taiwan High Speed Rail trains were halted for inspections, and Taiwan Railways trains operating between Dounan Station in Yunlin and Gangshan Station in Kaohsiung were operating at reduced speeds.

A resident in Tainan's West Central District described experiencing the earthquake alarm on their phone just before feeling the building shake for a few seconds. Fortunately, no damage was reported at their residence.

Earlier on Thursday, a magnitude 4.9 earthquake also rattled Hualien County in eastern Taiwan at 2:01 a.m. The CWA located the epicenter 19.1 kilometers north of Hualien County Hall, at a depth of 25.3 km. This quake registered intensity level 3 in Hualien, Yilan, and Nantou counties.

While there were no immediate reports of damage, the shaking in Hualien brought back memories of the devastating magnitude 7.2 earthquake that struck the region on April 3, 2024, killing 18 people and injuring over 1,100. Thursday, marked the first anniversary of this event.