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A 7.2 magnitude earthquake shakes the east coast of Taiwan and generates tsunami warnings for Okinawa in Japan

  • A 7.2 magnitude earthquake shakes the east coast of Taiwan and generates tsunami warnings for Okinawa in Japan
    A 7.2 magnitude earthquake shakes the east coast of Taiwan and generates tsunami warnings for Okinawa in Japan
Region:
Asia
Category:
Society
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A magnitude 7.2 earthquake struck off the coast of Hualien County in eastern Taiwan at 7:58 a.m. on Wednesday, according to the Central Meteorological Administration (CWA).

The epicenter of the earthquake was located in the Pacific Ocean, 25.0 kilometers southeast of Hualien City Hall, at a depth of 15.5 kilometers, according to the administration's Seismology Center.

The CWA said the strong earthquake has caused changes in water levels off the coast.

The earthquake intensity, which measured the actual effect of a seismic event, was highest in Hualien, where it measured a 6+ on Taiwan's 7-level intensity scale, the CWA said.

An intensity level of 5+ was reported in Yilan County in the east and Miaoli County in the north, while 5- was reported in Taipei City, New Taipei City, Taoyuan City, and Hsinchu County in the north, Taichung City, Changhua County, and Nantou County in central Taiwan, the CWA added.

People all over Taiwan felt the intensity of the strong earthquake.

Due to the tremor, the subway systems in Taipei, Taichung, and Kaohsiung have been suspended, and the suspension is expected to last between 40 and 60 minutes.

A large earthquake with a magnitude of 7.2 struck off the east coast of Taiwan on Wednesday, according to the U.S. Geological Survey, prompting tsunami warnings in southern Japan.

The epicenter of the earthquake is about 18 kilometers (11 miles) south of the city of Hualien.

The Japan Meteorological Agency has issued a tsunami warning for the Miyakojima and Okinawa islands, warning that waves of up to 3 meters are expected imminently.