Taiwan hit by 5.1 magnitude earthquake, epicentre near Hualien city

An earthquake of 5.1 magnitude hit Taiwan on Thursday (Dec 18). The epicentre of the quake was located about 18 km from Hualien city, at a depth of roughly 31.6 km. The tremor was strong enough to briefly shake buildings in the capital, Taipei, though there were no immediate reports of casualties or damage.

Taiwan lies near the junction of two tectonic plates and is prone to earthquakes. More than 100 people were killed in a quake in southern Taiwan in 2016, while a 7.3 magnitude quake killed more than 2,000 people in 1999.

Last year, Taiwan was hit by a major 6.3 magnitude earthquake. The island had been rattled by at least 80 earthquakes in the month of April, with the first strong quake felt in the capital Taipei of magnitude 5.5 at around 5:08 pm (local time) (0908 GMT). It was then followed by a series of aftershocks and quakes, with two intense tremors hitting one after another around 2:30 am (local time) (1830 GMT).

Agencies mentioned that the quake occurred at 2:26 am (local time) (1826 GMT) and originated in eastern Hualien. According to the Hualien Fire Department, teams were dispatched to inspect for any disaster from the new quakes. The initial statement by the department stated that no casualties had been reported yet.

The earthquake was the latest in the series of quakes that had been shaking the island since Monday afternoon. Taiwan has been hit by hundreds of aftershocks after a 7.2 magnitude earthquake struck Hualien earlier this month.