Taiwan: Thousands without power and ‘people trapped in buildings’ after strong earthquake

Taiwan has been struck by its strongest earthquake in 25 years – causing buildings to collapse and widespread power outages.

Taiwan’s earthquake monitoring agency said Wednesday morning’s earthquake was magnitude 7.2 on the Richter scale, while the US Geological Survey put it at 7.4 and Japan’s meteorological agency put it at 7.7.

The earthquake led to a small tsunami in some coastal areas of Japan, but warnings were later lifted.

Four people have died and at least 57 have been injured in Taiwan’s Hualien County – the epicentre of the quake – which struck during Wednesday morning’s rush hour.

In the capital Taipei, tiles fell from the roof of older buildings and within some newer office complexes.

Meanwhile, more than 87,000 households were without power, according to Taiwan’s electricity supplier.

Train services across the island – which is home to 23 million people – were suspended, as was the metro.

A five-storey building in Hualien was heavily damaged. The first floor collapsed, leaving the rest leaning at a 45-degree angle.

Japan’s meteorological agency described the quake as very shallow, which can cause greater damage.

The agency also said people “must be vigilant” for aftershocks, which could be of similar intensity for about a week.

Japan’s chief cabinet secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi said there has been no report of injury or damage in Japan.

He urged the residents in the Okinawa region to stay on high ground until all tsunami advisories are lifted.

The Japan Meteorological Agency had forecast a tsunami of up to three metres for the southern Japanese island group of Okinawa.

The Philippines Seismology Agency also issued urged residents in coastal areas of several provinces to evacuate to higher ground.

According to a witness, the quake could be felt as far as Shanghai in China.

Multiple aftershocks were felt in Taipei in the hour after the initial quake. The US Geological Society said one of the subsequent tremors was seven miles deep and had a magnitude of 6.5.

Taiwan lies along the Pacific Ring of Fire, a line of seismic faults where most of the world’s earthquakes occur.

In March 2011, a 9 magnitude earthquake was the strongest in Japan’s history – triggering a massive tsunami and the world’s worst nuclear crisis since Chernobyl.