Aftershocks Shiver Hualien County, Taiwan Following 7.2-magnitude earthquake
Taipei: Dozens of aftershocks rocked Taiwan’s earthquake-stricken eastern county of Hualien late on Monday and early on Tuesday. However, there were no fatalities or significant damage recorded, and leading chipmaker TSMC stated that its business remained unaffected.
When a 7.2 magnitude earthquake struck on April 3, at least 14 people were killed in Hualien, a largely rural and sparsely populated area. Over a thousand aftershocks have occurred since then.
Buildings over most of northern, eastern, and western Taiwan, including the capital, Taipei, shook all night long as a result of the magnitude 6.3 earthquake.
They were all really superficial.
After recent earthquakes, Taiwan braces for further aftershocks and disruptions.
According to Taiwan’s Central Weather Administration, the string of earthquakes that began on Monday afternoon—roughly 180 total—were aftershocks of the significant earthquake that occurred on April 3.
Wu Chien-fu, the director of the Seismological Center, warned reporters that they could expect more aftershocks, possibly less severe, describing them as a “concentrated release of energy.”
People in Hualien should be ready for additional inconvenience since heavy rain is expected for the entire week, he continued.
According to the Hualien Fire Department, two buildings that were already unoccupied due to damage on April 3 sustained additional damage and were tilting.
There were no casualty reports.
TSMC Guarantees Employee Safety During Taiwan Earthquake Activity
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. TSMC, the world’s largest contract chip producer, evacuated some employees but ensured safety and normal operations at its facilities.
“Right now, there shouldn’t be any effects on operations,” the email stated.
After investors got over their fears over the earthquake, shares of TSMC, which is listed in Taipei, witnessed a 1.75% boost Tuesday morning.
Responding to rockfall concerns, authorities canceled work and school, and closed many highways in Hualien’s hilly county.
Taiwan is earthquake-prone because it is close to the spot where two tectonic plates collide.
In 1999, a magnitude 7.3 earthquake claimed over 2,000 lives, while in 2016, over 100 died in southern Taiwan.