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The Guardian - AU
The Guardian - AU
World
Léonie Chao-Fong (now); Joanna Walters, Mabel Banfield-Nwachi, Martin Belam and Reged Ahmad (earlier)

Taiwan earthquake: search for survivors continues into night after nine people killed in quake – as it happened

Taiwan Japan Earth Okinawa Taipei JMA (Organization) the US Geological Survey

Closing summary

It’s 1am in Taipei. Here’s a recap of the latest developments:

  • At least nine people have been killed and more than 900 injured in Taiwan’s strongest earthquake in 25 years, which caused buildings to collapse, power outages and landslides on the island.

  • The quake, which started at 7.58am on Wednesday, struck about 18km south-southwest of Hualien, a city popular with tourists on Taiwan’s eastern coast, and was given a magnitude of 7.2 by Taiwan’s earthquake monitoring agency and 7.4 by the US.

  • More than 100 people remain trapped in tunnels and in collapsed buildings. The fire agency said 64 people were trapped in one coalmine, and six in another, while rescue workers had lost contact with 50 people who were travelling in minibuses through a national park as the earthquake wiped out phone networks.

  • Nearly 1,000 tourists and staff were stranded in mountains of Taroko national park in Hualien. Local media reported that three hikers and one driver died after rockslides in the park.

  • In Hualien city, all residents and businesses in buildings that were in a dangerous state had been evacuated, the mayor Hsu Chen-wei said. Rescuers worked across Hualien county, looking for people who may be trapped and using excavators to stabilize damaged buildings.

  • In the capital, Taipei, several people were rescued from a partly collapsed warehouse. Strong tremors forced the city’s subway system to close briefly, and damage was visible on some buildings in central Taipei. Aftershocks could still be felt in the capital, with more than 50 recorded, weather officials said.

  • The quake triggered initial tsunami warnings in southern Japan and the Philippines, but forecasts were later downgraded and lifted. Japan’s meteorological agency warned that aftershocks, with a similar intensity to those felt in Taiwan, may be likely over the next week.

A 7.2-magnitude earthquake that struck Taiwan on Wednesday was captured by the cameras in a newsroom during a live broadcast.

As the quake hit, anchors on air carried on delivering the news while the studio was visibly shaken and lights swayed violently overhead.

Taiwan’s president-elect and vice-president, Lai Ching-te, has thanked the president of the European Council, Charles Michel, for his support and condolences.

Posting to social media, Lai wrote:

Taiwan draws strength from your solidarity & friendship during this difficult time and deeply appreciates the support from the EU.

Rescue operations continue into the night, with more than 100 people still trapped

Rescue operations continue into the night as more than 100 people remain trapped in tunnels and in collapsed buildings around Hualien county, near the epicentre of the 7.2-magnitude quake.

About 70 people trapped in tunnels near Hualien city have been evacuated, Taiwan’s national fire agency said.

But authorities lost contact with 50 workers aboard our minibuses heading to a hotel in the Taroko Gorge national park, it said.

At least 64 people were trapped in one rock quarry, and six in another, the fire agency said.

Updated

The US is monitoring the earthquake in Taiwan and is “ready to provide any necessary assistance”, a US national security council spokesperson has said.

A statement from NSC spokesperson Adrienne Watson reads:

We are monitoring reports of the earthquake impacting Taiwan and continue to monitor its potential impact on Japan. The United States stands ready to provide any necessary assistance. All those affected are in our prayers.

One reporter in Taiwan who was heading north towards Hualien after dark on Wednesday evening local time, came across huge holes in the road caused by the earthquake from that morning.

Nathaniel Taplin posted footage moments ago.

Meanwhile TV channel TVBS posted a clip of rescue workers trying to clear debris in Hualien, where the earthquake hit hardest.

One person caught up in the earthquake described watching a warehouse crumple like a house of cards on Wednesday and told the Agence France-Presse agency it “was like a mountain collapsed”.

And that was in New Taipei City, near the capital, Taipei, almost 190 miles (300km) from the hardest hit area of Hualien in east central Taiwan.

The witness, named by AFP only as Liu, watched intently as rescuers carefully picked their way through the remains of the warehouse.

Propping ladders against the debris, the rescue workers managed to pluck more than 50 survivors from the destroyed building in New Taipei City. The building was about 60 years old and had housed a printing press, said Liu, who lived next door.

Residents of nearby buildings appeared to be unaffected, though they felt the intense shaking from the morning quake.

Many of the decorations at home fell on the floor, but people were safe. We were very lucky,” said Chang, who lives near the printing press.

New Taipei City mayor Hou Yu-ih surveyed the scene with rescue workers, and told reporters that all 57 people in the building had made it out - with just one injured.

Summary

It has just passed 11pm in Taipei and Hualien.

Here is a quick summary of some of the key events so far today:

  • At least nine people are now reported to have been killed in Taiwan’s earthquake. At least another 900 have been injured.

  • The earthquake struck at 7:58 am local time, about 18km south-southwest of Hualien. It was about 35 km (21 miles) deep, according to Associated Press

  • Taiwan’s electricity operator – Taipower- has said more than 87,000 people across the country are now without power, according to the Reuters news agency.

  • People are trapped in collapsed buildings in Taiwan’s city of Hualien according to local media and the local government has suspended schools and classes in the region.

  • A witness has told the Reuters news agency that the earthquake was also felt in Shanghai, China. Chinese state media also reported that it was felt in Fuzhou, Xiamen, Quanzhou, Ningde in China’s Fujian province.

  • At least 64 people were trapped in one rock quarry, not a coalmine as was previously reported, and six in another, the fire agency said.

  • Authorities also lost contact with 50 people in minibuses after a powerful earthquake quake downed phone networks, Taiwan’s national fire agency said.

  • The Philippines seismology agency has issued a tsunami warning as well after that strong Taiwan quake, with Philippine coastal areas fronting the Pacific Ocean expected to experience “high tsunami waves”, according to the Reuters news agency. The tsunami warning issued by the Philippine authorities relates to people in coastal areas of the following provinces: the Batanes Group of Islands, Cagayan, Ilocos Norte and Isabela.

  • The Philippines’ seismology agency later cancelled its tsunami warning, saying “based on available data of our sea level monitoring stations facing the epicentral area, no significant sea level disturbances have been recorded since 07:58am up until this cancellation.”

  • Japan’s national broadcaster has issued an evacuation order – broadcasting warnings such as “Tsunami is coming. Please evacuate immediately,” an anchor on NHK said. “Do not stop. Do not go back”. This was later downgraded to advisory as the tsunami waves that had arrived by late morning were not as high as forecast.

  • A tsunami advisory has been issued in southern Japan after a powerful earthquake struck near Taiwan on Wednesday morning, according to Japan’s meteorological agency (JMA). This was later lifted.

Here are some more pictures showing the damage caused by the earthquake:

At least 64 people were trapped in one rock quarry, not a coalmine as was previously reported, and six in another, the fire agency said.

The quake and aftershocks also caused 24 landslides and damage to 35 roads, bridges and tunnels, AP reports.

Here is the latest report from our video team on the earthquake in Taiwan. Footage released by the fire department there shows emergency personnel walking through dark corridors while going door to door and calling out to residents.

According to a report from Associated Press, Taiwan’s national fire agency appears to have confirmed that 70 miners are trapped in two coalmines in Hualien County after the earthquake.

Sixty-four people were trapped in one coalmine, and six people were in a different mine, AP reports the agency said.

More details soon …

Here is a clip of CCTV footage which shows a multi-storey building collapsing on a busy street in Hualien as Taiwan was hit by its strongest earthquake in 25 years.

Here are some more images sent over the news wires from Taiwan after the earthquake.

Here is an updated map from our graphics team showing where Taiwan’s east coast was struck by a 7.2 magnitude quake on Wednesday morning. Nine people are known to have died and more than 900 people have been injured.

Updated

The number of people injured in the earthquake has risen to at least 934.

Nine die and nearly 900 injured in quake, say fire agency

Taiwan’s national fire agency said nine people died in the quake and another 882 have been injured.

The local United Daily News reported three hikers died in rockslides in Taroko national park and a van driver died in the same area after boulders hit the vehicle, AP reports.

Updated

Authorities have lost contact with 50 people in minibuses after a powerful earthquake quake downed phone networks, Taiwan’s national fire agency said.

More than 70 other people are trapped but believed to be alive, some in a coalmine.

Taiwan’s strongest earthquake in a quarter-century rocked the island during the morning rush hour Wednesday, AP reports.

Death toll rises to nine

At least nine people are now reported to have been killed in Taiwan’s earthquake.

Taiwan has felt many aftershocks throughout the day, but the scale of the seismic activity in Hualien is jaw-dropping: there have been over a hundred separate earthquakes in and around the city today, many of them over 5.0 in magnitude.

As of 4 pm local time there had been no fewer than 130 listed on the government’s official website.

Here are the stats from the Taiwan weather centre.

Updated

Gregor Stuart Hunter in Taipei, Chi Hui Lin in Miaoli, and Jan Camenzind Broomby and Kenza Wilks in Taitung spoke to people about what they experienced in the moments after the earthquake struck:

In the first moments after the huge quake hit, Lanni Hsu grabbed her dog and her family, and fled. Running down five flights of stairs, she headed outdoors to seek safety from falling objects.

Hsu lives in Hualien, a busy tourist city on Taiwan’s east coast, where the 7.2 magnitude quake struck on Wednesday morning. The death toll stood at seven, with 700 injured and hundreds trapped under rubble.

Three people among a group of seven on an early-morning hike through the hills that surround the city were crushed to death by boulders loosened by the earthquake, officials said. Separately, a truck driver died when his vehicle was hit by a landslide as it approached a tunnel in the area.

Hualien’s people are no stranger to deadly earthquakes. Even so, this was the most frightened Hsu had ever felt, she said.

You can read the full story here.

Our graphics team put together this map to show the site of the earthquake, which struck the eastern city of Hualien.

Updated

Justin McCurry report the latest from Osaka, Chi Hui Lin in Miaoli, and Jan Camenzind Broomby in Kaohsiung:

Taiwan’s strongest earthquake in 25 years has killed seven and injured at least 700, causing building collapses, power outages and landslides on the island, and sparking initial tsunami warnings in southern Japan and the Philippines.

The quake, given a magnitude of 7.2 by Taiwan’s earthquake monitoring agency and 7.4 by the US, struck close to the popular tourist city of Hualien, on Taiwan’s eastern coast, damaging buildings and trapping people amid aftershocks following the quake, which started at 7.58am.

Taiwan earthquake live updates: seven killed, more than 700 injured and dozens still trapped after strongest quake in 25 years

Videos on social media showed children being rescued from collapsed residential buildings. One five-storey building in Hualien appeared heavily damaged, its first floor collapsed and the bulk of the building leaning at a 45-degree angle.

Taiwan’s Centre for Science and Technology (CST) said people and vehicles were trapped in the Dachingshui tunnel. Train lines were also damaged, and schools and workplaces were closed across large areas of the city.

Witnesses in Hualien described driving while rocks dislodged from nearby mountains fell down around them, while others rushed outside after feeling the strength of the tremors.

Read the full story here.

Here are some of the latest images from the news wires showing the aftermath of the earthquake in Taiwan.

Seven dead, hundreds injured and dozens of buildings damaged in most powerful Taiwan quake in 25 years.

Strict building regulations and widespread public disaster awareness appear to have staved off a major catastrophe for the island, AFP reports.

Our picture editors have put together a gallery showing dramatic scenes as the quake hit and the devastating aftermath.

Death toll rises to seven

The Taiwanese government has now said the death toll has risen to seven. We will update with more details as we get them.

Updated

Taiwan’s government said on early afternoon Wednesday local time that 711 people had been injured in the earthquake and that 77 people were trapped.

It added that the death toll remained at four.

More of the latest images from areas near the capital and also in Hualien, which is close to the epicentre:

Updated

Japan’s prime minister Fumio Kishida says the country stands ready to provide any assistance necessary to Taiwan after the massive earthquake.

Kishida posted on his official account on X that he was deeply saddened to hear about the earthquake and referred to Taiwan as Japan’s “neighbour across the sea”

A spokesperson from TSMC, the country’s computer chip maker, says that some staff are returning to their workplaces after this morning’s earthquake:

TSMC’s safety systems are operating normally. Preventive measures were initiated according to procedure and some fabs were evacuated. All personnel are safe, and those evacuated are beginning to return to their workplaces.

The company is currently confirming the details of the impact. Initial inspections show that construction sites are normal.

However, the Company has decided to suspend work at construction sites for today, and work will resume following further inspections.

  • Guardian reporter Gregor Hunter in Taipei

Emergency workers are searching collapsed buildings and rescuing trapped residents:

Updated

Summary of events so far

It’s 12:43pm in Taipei and Hualien, and we are now pausing this blog.

But first, here is a summary of what we know so far:

  • At least four people are now reported to have been killed in Taiwan’s earthquake. The national fire agency said they died in Hualien County. Hualien was near the epicenter of the quake.

  • Taiwan’s strongest earthquake in 25 years struck the island’s eastern coast at 7:58am local time on Wednesday, causing buildings to collapse and triggering landslides.

  • The earthquake also prompted tsunami warnings on the island as well as southern Japan and northern Philippines - though both Japan and the Philippines have since lifted their warnings.

  • The quake’s epicentre was located 25km southeast of the city of Hualien, according to Taiwan’s Central Weather Administration.

  • Japan’s meteorological agency gave a magnitude of 7.7, while Taiwan’s earthquake monitoring agency registered 7.2.

  • A fire department official in Hualien county said that “two buildings had collapsed and some people are believed to be trapped”.

  • In a televised national briefing, Taiwan’s National Fire Agency said 26 buildings were reported “to tilt or collapse”, though it gave no details on the location of the structures.

  • Earlier, Taiwan’s fire department said more than 50 were injured, while local media reported residents were trapped inside collapsed buildings in the city of Hualien.

  • Taiwan’s electricity operator – Taipower- has said more than 87,000 people across the country are now without power.

  • Train lines were damaged, and schools and workplaces were closed across large areas of Hualien. Across Taiwan, more than 87,000 households were without power.

  • Violent shaking was felt in the capital Taipei, with aftershocks continuing throughout the day. The city’s subway service was briefly suspended, and some offices and schools said they would send staff home for the day.

  • TSMC, Taiwan’s leading manufacturer of advance chips, responsible for the production of most of the world’s advanced semiconductors, also evacuated its production lines.

  • Japan’s Meterological Agency warned of aftershocks of similar intensity to those felt in Taiwan may be likely over the next week.

  • Global internet monitor Netblocks has said that internet outages were being registered in parts of Taiwan after the quake.

    With Rebecca Ratcliffe

Updated

At least four killed in earthquake

At least four people are now reported to have been killed in Taiwan’s earthquake.

The national fire agency said four people died in Hualien County.

Hualien was near the epicenter of the quake that struck at about 8am on Wednesday.

More of the latest images of the damage seen in New Taipei City:

Damage and debris can be seen in the compound of the Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall in Taipei, a national monument and tourist attraction:

The Guardian’s reporter Gregor Hunter on the latest as he reports from Taipei:

Damage was visible on some buildings in central Taipei on Wednesday morning, such as outside the Howard Plaza hotel, where the earthquake had damaged brickwork on its exterior and dislodged some of the lettering on the hotel’s sign.

Mike Hung Hsu, a guest of the hotel, said he was woken up by the earthquake during a visit to Taiwan from the US.

“I’ve never felt this kind of earthquake in LA, even though we have earthquakes pretty often,” he said.

“I used to live in Taiwan, in my memory we never had an earthquake like this one.”

He said his family had cancelled a planned sightseeing trip to Yilan county, near Hualien on the island’s east coast, as there was no way to travel by public transport.

Our reporter in Taiwan, Chi Hui Lin, has sent us this translated notice that Taiwan’s president Tsai Ing-wen has posted on her Facebook page detailing the country’s response to the disaster:

Central Disaster Response Centre has been set up and various ministries are reporting on the situation in various places, so please pay attention to the various information released by the officials at any time, and please check carefully for any earthquake-related news.

I would also like to remind everyone that some trains on the Taiwan High-Speed Rail (THSR) have been delayed. For those who are commuting, please pay attention to the status of the MRT and Taiwan Railway operations in various places.

In addition, there were a number of aftershocks this morning, and I would like to remind everyone not to take the lift for the time being, and to pay more attention to safety.

Our latest video report on Taiwan’s earthquake:

As we continue to get updates on what is happening in Hualien, which is near to the epicentre of the earthquake, our reporter Gregor Hunter paints a picture of what the town is like in normal times:

Hualien is a charming beach town sandwiched between Taiwan’s mountain ranges on the island’s east coast.

It regularly attracts tourists from elsewhere in the island for the stunning natural beauty of the surrounding landscape, including the nearby Taroko Gorge national park, and also hosts a wealth of Taiwanese aboriginal culture nestled alongside its backpacker hostels and surf shops.

The city’s position on the windswept east coast affords it little shelter behind the mountain range that shields the rest of Taiwan from incoming typhoons from the Pacific Ocean.

There are only a few road and rail connections and no stops on the high-speed rail service that links cities along the island’s more industrialised west coast, though its coastal highways make it a favourite of cyclists.

The city also plays home to a major air force base, from where Taiwan’s F-16 fighter jets regularly scramble to intercept Chinese aerial incursions.

Hualien’s last big quake was in 2022, when a 6.9-magnitude quake toppled buildings and derailed a train, killing one person and cutting off power for thousands of residents.

26 buildings reported "to tilt or collapse"

A fire department official in Hualien county – near the epicentre of the earthquake – has told Agence France-Presse that “two buildings had collapsed and some people are believed to be trapped”.

In a televised national briefing, Taiwan’s National Fire Agency said 26 buildings were reported “to tilt or collapse”, though it gave no details on the location of the structures.

Philippines cancels tsunami warning

The Philippines’ seismology agency has cancelled its tsunami warning, saying “Based on available data of our sea level monitoring stations facing the epicentral area, no significant sea level disturbances have been recorded since 07:58am up until this cancellation.”

It added that “any effects due to the tsunami warning have largely passed” and that the agency had cancelled all tsunami warnings issued for this event.

Key points

Here are some basic points on what we know so far about Taiwan’s earthquake:

  • The earthquake struck at 7:58 am local time, about 18km south-southwest of Hualien

  • It was about 35 km (21 miles) deep, according to Associated Press

  • Japan has put the earthquake at 7.7 magnitude

  • Tsunami warnings and advisories had been issued – but the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said that the threat from Taiwan’s earthquake “has now passed”.

Japan lifts all tsunami advisories

The latest just coming in – Japan has lifted all tsunami advisories after the earthquake, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency.

Earlier it was reported that Japan had downgraded its forecast and Japan’s Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi had urged the residents in the Okinawa region to stay on safe ground until all tsunami advisories were lifted.

Let’s get the latest on what we know about the tsunami warnings and advisories – most of which appear to have passed.

Japan’s Meteorological Agency has downgraded its tsunami forecast from 3m (9.8 feet) to 1m (3.3 feet).

One island had a wave of about 30cm (a foot), while smaller waves were detected in other islands, according to Associated Press.

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 safe ground until all tsunami advisories were lifted.

China issued no warnings for the Chinese mainland, and there was no threat for Hawaii and Guam.

More than two hours after the quake struck Taiwan, the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said the threat of a tsunami has largely passed.

Reports of 1 dead, 50 injured - Taiwan fire department

We are getting our first casualty figures coming through. The Reuters news agency is reporting that one person has died and more than 50 people are injured after the earthquake – that’s according to the Taiwan fire department.

We’ll bring you more when we get it.

Another image coming through, this time of a landslide from Xiulin, just off the eastern coast of Taiwan:

Our Guardian reporter Chi Hui Lin has sent us more on the aftermath from people in Hualien. The epicentre has been reported as 25km southeast of the city.

A hotel in Hualien City told me that people in Hualien know that sometimes there will be big earthquakes, so the items in the house are fixed.

They didn’t run out immediately when the earthquake happened but waited for it to get smaller before going out to avoid falling. There was little damage in her hotel, just a few items falling down.

Another Stand Up Paddling shop in Hualien told me that the people of Hualien have experienced many earthquakes, and when this earthquake happened, they knew it was a big one, so they rushed out.

He said that many buildings in Hualien are now evacuating their residents.

He was driving his car near the mountains when the earthquake happened, and there were a lot of falling rocks.

When he was talking to me, the sound of ambulances passing by was in the background.

Pacific tsunami warning centre says threat passed

The tsunami threat from the earthquake has now passed according to the Pacific tsunami warning center.

The centre’s website has a post saying “No tsunami warning, advisory, watch or threat” on the Taiwan quake.

Some more of the latest images coming in from the earthquake to hit Taiwan:

Japan tsunami alert downgraded to advisory

The tsunami waves that had arrived by late morning were not as high as forecast, and the alert was downgraded to an advisory.

But an official from Japan’s meteorological agency urged people to continue evacuating until the advisory was lifted.

Public broadcaster NHK said some residents of the main Okinawa island had evacuated to a nearby US military base, while footage showed others watching the sea from the safety of high ground in the prefectural capital Naha.

87,000 in Taiwan without power

Taiwan’s electricity operator – Taipower- has said more than 87,000 people across the country are now without power, according to the Reuters news agency.

Earlier we were hearing that 10,000 households were without power and it was reported that restoration operations were currently underway.

Aftershocks reported in Taipei

Buildings in Taipei have continued to shake after an aftershock, according to the Reuters news agency.

Meanwhile, Japan’s Meterological Agency is warning people to be vigilant for aftershocks of similar intensity for around a week.

Worst quake since 1999 - Taiwan central weather bureau

Here is the latest from our reporter Gregor Hunter in Taipei on what Taiwan’s central weather bureau says is the country’s worse quake since 1999:

Violent shaking was felt in the capital Taipei, with aftershocks continuing throughout the day.

The quake struck during the morning rush hour, prompting a brief suspension of the city’s subway service, and some offices and schools said they would send staff home for the day.

Philippines tsunami warning relates to coastal areas

Our south-east Asia correspondent Rebecca Ratcliffe has more detail on the warnings in the Philippines:

The tsunami warning issued by the Philippine authorities relates to people in coastal areas of the following provinces: the Batanes Group of Islands, Cagayan, Ilocos Norte and Isabela.

The Batanes island group is the northernmost province of the Philippines, and is closer to Taiwan than to the northern tip of Luzon, the Philippines’ largest and most populous island, which sits at the northern part of the archipelago. Cagayan, Ilocos Norte and Isabela are all located in the north of Luzon.

Residents in these coastal areas of these provinces have been “strongly advised” to immediately evacuate to higher grounds or move farther inland.

Magnitude revised up - JMA

In the latest – the Japan Meteorological Agency has revised up Taiwan’s earthquake magnitude to 7.7, from 7.5, according to the Reuters news agency.

Another image coming out of Taiwan shows how buildings have been affected, this one is leaning on its side, appearing to be almost at a 45 degree angle:

10,000 households without power - reports

Taiwan’s central news agency is reporting that nearly 10,00 households are without power with restoration operations currently under way.

Meanwhile, some of the first video of the aftermath is being posted on social media – this is also from central news agency:

More images from Hualien are coming in:

Epicentre reported as 25km southeast of Hualien

According to Taiwan’s Central Weather Administration, the epicentre of the quake was 25km southeast of Hualien:

Reports computer chip factory partially evacuated

Bloomberg is reporting that the world’s largest producer of advanced chips has evacuated some factory areas.

The financial publisher said the move could endanger production at Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co.

Reports of damage to houses and water towers - Taiwan

Our Guardian reporter Chi Hui Lin has sent this from Miaoli, one hour’s drive from Taipei:

Wednesday morning’s earthquake was the strongest since the 921 quake in 1999. Aftershocks continued to occur between 8 and 9 a.m.

Social media was full of earthquake posts, with friends sharing information about their homes.

Tiles peeled off the exteriors of old houses in Taipei City, water towers cracked, glass shattered and items fell.

Teachers on campus took their students to an open area for shelter.

At 8 am the phone rang with a tsunami alert: the earthquake-induced tsunami was expected to affect the coastal areas at 9:59am.

Updated

Internet outages reported in Taiwan

Global internet monitor Netblocks has said that internet outages are being registered in parts of Taiwan after the quake.

In a post on X the group said:

The decline in network connectivity comes amid reports of power outages with a tsunami warning issued; nuclear regulator observes no issues with reactors at present

Taiwan reports people trapped in buildings - local media

People are trapped in collapsed buildings in Taiwan’s city of Hualien according to local media and the local government has suspended schools and classes in the region.

According to Taiwan’s Central Weather Administration, the epicentre of the quake was 25km southeast of Hualien.

Taipei’s metro was suspended for 40 to 60 minutes for routine safety checks, although there were no initial reports of irregularities and services had resumed by 8:45am.

Philippines warns of high tsunami waves

The Philippines’ seismology agency has a tsunami warning, warning people in coastal areas of several provinces to immediately evacuate to higher ground or move farther inland. It has issued the following evaluation:

Based on tsunami wave models and early tide gauge records of the tsunami in the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center, coastal areas in the Philippines fronting the Pacific Ocean are expected to experience high tsunami waves.

It is forecasted that the first tsunami waves will arrive between 08:33 AM to 10:33 AM, 03 Apr 2024 (PST). It may not be the largest and these waves may continue for hours.

Japan's national broadcaster issues evacuation warning

Japan’s national broadcaster has issued an evacuation order – broadcasting warnings such as “Tsunami is coming. Please evacuate immediately,” an anchor on NHK said. “Do not stop. Do not go back”.

“Evacuate!” said a banner on the broadcast channel.

Tsunami waves as high as three metres were expected immediately for remote Japanese islands in the region, including Miyakojima island, Japan’s Meteorological Agency.

Live TV footage from the Okinawa region’s ports, including Naha, showed vessels heading out to sea, possibly in efforts to protect their ships.

Here is our latest map showing the general location of the earthquake:

First images out of Taiwan emerge

Here is an early image out of Taiwain from the aftermath of the earthquake:

Some background on the history of earthquakes in Taiwan

The country is regularly hit by earthquakes because the island lies near the junction of two tectonic plates.

A 7.6-magnitude quake hit Taiwan in September 1999, killing about 2,400 people in the deadliest natural disaster in the island’s history.

Earthquake are also common in Japan, where about 1,500 jolts are felt every year.

The vast majority are mild, although the damage they cause varies according to the depth of the epicentre below the Earth’s surface and its location.

The severity of tsunamis – vast and potentially destructive series of waves that can move at hundreds of kilometres per hour – also depends upon multiple factors.

Even larger quakes usually cause little damage in Japan and Taiwan thanks to special construction techniques and strict building regulations.

Japan has also developed sophisticated procedures and technology to alert and evacuate people when needed.

Japan’s biggest earthquake on record was 9.0-magnitude in March 2011 off Japan’s northeast coast, which triggered a tsunami that left about 18,500 people dead or missing.

The 2011 catastrophe also sent three reactors into meltdown at the Fukushima nuclear plant, causing Japan’s worst postwar disaster and the most serious nuclear accident since Chornobyl.

Earthquake felt in China - reports

A witness has told the Reuters news agency that the earthquake was also felt in Shanghai, China.

Chinese state media is reporting that it was felt in Fuzhou, Xiamen, Quanzhou, Ningde in China’s Fujian province.

Taiwan reports collapsed buildings

Television images are showing buildings in the city of Hualien shaken off their foundations after the earthquake.

Elsewhere, the Islandwide train service has been suspended, as was subway service in Taipei.

Taiwan’s earthquake monitoring agency gave the magnitude as 7.2 while the U.S. Geological Survey put it at 7.5. The depth was about 33km.

Philippines issues tsunami warning

The Philippines seismology agency has issued a tsunami warning as well after that strong Taiwan quake, with Philippine coastal areas fronting the Pacific Ocean expected to experience “high tsunami waves”, according to the Reuters news agency.

People in the coastal areas in several provinces were advised to immediately evacuate to higher grounds or move farther inland, the advisory read.

Japan issues tsunami advisory

A tsunami advisory has been issued in southern Japan after a powerful earthquake struck near Taiwan on Wednesday morning, according to Japan’s meteorological agency (JMA).

Television showed collapsing buildings in the eastern Taiwan city of Hualien.

Japanese media said the magnitude 7.5 quake could trigger waves as high as 3 metres in some areas of Okinawa prefecture, located roughly 1,000 miles south of Tokyo.

A 30 cm tsunami has reached Yonaguni Island at 9:18 am (0018 GMT), the JMA said.

Announcers on public broadcaster NHK urged people not to go near the coast and to evacuate to higher areas, while warnings in English and Japanese appeared on the screen.

Read our breaking story here:

Welcome and opening summary

A powerful earthquake has hit off the coast of Taiwan, rocking the entire island and collapsing buildings in at least one town. I’m Reged Ahmad and I’ll be with you for the next while.

Japan issued a tsunami alert for the southern Japanese island group of Okinawa, according to Associated Press.

More on that in a moment but first – here’s a summary of what we know so far:

  • Japan’s meteorological agency forecast a tsunami of up to 3 meters, or 9.8 feet for some areas.

  • The Japan Meteorological Agency reported that a 30cm tsunami reached Yonaguni Island at 9:18 am (0018 GMT), Reuters reports.

  • Taiwan’s earthquake monitoring agency gave the magnitude as 7.2 while the US Geological Survey put it at 7.5.

  • Television have shown buildings in the eastern city of Hualien shaken off their foundations.

  • The quake came at 7:58am local time and could be felt in the capital Taipei.

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