A 5.2-Magnitude Earthquake, the Largest in Hualien, Taiwan... Over 20 Aftershocks Occur

[Image source=Central Weather Bureau (CWB) Taiwan website]

[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunwoo Lee] An earthquake with a Richter scale magnitude of 5.2 occurred in Hualien, Taiwan, followed by 22 aftershocks over a period of two hours.

According to local media such as Taiwan United Daily on the 14th, the Central Weather Bureau (CWB) of Taiwan reported that an earthquake with a maximum magnitude of 5.2 struck the Hualien area and surrounding waters in eastern Taiwan, with 22 aftershocks observed. The earthquake began at 6:52 a.m. local time in Hualien County, 5.1 km southwest inland, and aftershocks ranging from magnitude 3.0 to 5.0 continued for more than two hours.

Although there have been no major casualties or property damage reported from this earthquake, Taiwanese experts have stated that there is a high possibility of multiple large-scale earthquakes occurring in Taiwan in the future, including aftershocks, and have emphasized the need for close monitoring.

Chen Guochang, head of the Earthquake Prediction Center at Taiwan’s Central Weather Bureau, said, "This earthquake is considered an aftershock of the magnitude 5.4 earthquake that occurred on the 7th and 8th," adding, "There have been three aftershocks of magnitude 5 or higher and five of magnitude 4 or higher, all appearing to have occurred on the same tectonic plate."

Meanwhile, according to the Taiwan Central Weather Bureau, earthquakes of magnitude 5 or higher occur about 23 to 25 times annually in Taiwan. This year, about 22 such earthquakes have already occurred, with 80% of them taking place in the Hualien region. In 1999, a strong earthquake of magnitude 7.6 struck central Taiwan, resulting in over 2,000 deaths, and in 2016, an earthquake in southern Taiwan caused over 100 fatalities.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.