7.0 earthquake jolts northeastern Taiwan, no major damage reported

A powerful earthquake struck off Taiwan’s northeastern coast on Saturday, shaking buildings across the island, including in the capital Taipei, but causing no immediate reports of major damage.

Taiwan’s weather administration said the quake measured magnitude 7.0 and struck at a depth of 73km (45 miles), assigning it an intensity-four rating, strong enough to be widely felt and cause minor damage. The United States Geological Survey later estimated the quake’s magnitude at 6.6.

Residents in Taipei reported buildings swaying, while authorities said the tremor was felt across much of the island. Taipei’s city government said there were no reports of serious damage, though some isolated incidents were recorded, including gas and water leaks and minor structural damage.

In Yilan county, more than 3,000 households briefly lost power, according to Taiwan Power Company.

Major chipmaker TSMC said a small number of its facilities at the Hsinchu Science Park temporarily met evacuation thresholds. Staff were evacuated as a precaution but later returned to work.

The weather administration warned of possible aftershocks measuring between magnitude 5.5 and 6.0 over the next day, urging residents to remain alert. Officials said the risk of severe damage was reduced because the quake was relatively deep and occurred offshore.

President William Lai Ching-te said authorities had the situation under control and echoed warnings about potential aftershocks.

Taiwan sits on the boundary of two tectonic plates and is frequently hit by earthquakes. In April 2024, a magnitude 7.4 quake killed 17 people near Hualien, the strongest to hit the island in 25 years. A deadly 1999 earthquake killed more than 2,000 people.