An earthquake of significant magnitude, measuring 7.4, hit off the eastern coast of Taiwan on Wednesday morning local time, leading to tsunami warnings being issued.
The epicenter of the earthquake was located approximately 11 miles from Hualien City, Taiwan, as reported by the United States Geological Survey. The tremors were felt across the entire island, causing buildings to collapse. Following this, a 6.5-magnitude earthquake occurred.
The U.S. Tsunami Warning System raised alerts about potential hazardous tsunami waves for coastlines within 300 km (about 186 miles) from the earthquake's center, mentioning possible impacts on China, Taiwan, and Japan.
Japan also raised a tsunami alert for the southern Japanese island group of Okinawa, with the country's meteorological agency predicting a tsunami reaching heights of up to 3 meters (9.8 feet). Reports suggested that the initial wave of the tsunami had already reached the shores of Miyako and Yaeyama islands within half an hour.
Television broadcasts displayed buildings in Hualien City being jolted off their bases. Train services across the island were halted, along with subway operations in the capital city of Taipei. Despite the epicenter being on the opposite side of Taipei, the quake was forceful enough to dislodge items from shelves in the city.
This is a developing news story. Stay tuned for further updates.
