Taiwan, China, Japan, Philippines

What:

An earthquake of 7.5 magnitude was reported in Hualien County, Taiwan, at 0800 hours (local time) on 03 April. An aftershock of magnitude 6.5 was reported by Taiwan’s Central Weather Administration. The earthquake resulted in the death of four people and more than 711 injured. The earthquake led to tsunami warnings in China, Taiwan, parts of southern Japan, and the Philippines.

Why:

Taiwan is prone to seismic activity as it is situated along the Pacific ‘Ring of Fire’.

So What:

• The earthquake caused tremors across Taiwan, leading to at least nine landslides. Several mountain sectors of highways in Hualien and central Taiwan were closed to traffic.
• Power outages and internet outages were reported in several parts of Taiwan. Train services were suspended across Taiwan. Subway systems in Taipei and Kaohsiung were also affected. Some lines have begun reoperation after inspections.
• Train services have limited their speed or were temporarily suspended in the eastern part of China.
• 40 flights have been cancelled or delayed across Taiwan due to the earthquake according to Taiwan’s Central Emergency Operation Centre. Nippon Airlines has suspended all flights to and from the Naha airport on the main Okinawa Island and flights from Miyako and Ishigaki islands.
• Small tsunami waves were reported in the islands of Yonaguni, Ishigaki, and Miyako of the Okinawa Prefecture in Japan. The tsunami warning has been lifted in Japan. Authorities have also cancelled all tsunami warnings in the Philippines.
• The Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Ltd has suspended work at the construction sites for the day and will resume work after further inspections. Powerchip Semiconductor Manufacturing Co’s plant in Hsinchu and Innolux’s plant were also partially closed.
• Aftershocks of magnitude 6.5 and 7 are likely to occur in the next 3-4 days according to the Taiwanese Central Weather Administration’s Seismology Centre.

Outlook:

The earthquake has caused damage to infrastructure in various parts of Taiwan with a significant impact on the Hualien County and east coast of Taiwan. The possibility of aftershocks is likely, which can lead to further evacuations and warnings. Travel and flight disruptions are expected to continue in Taiwan, China, and Japan. The disruptions in the semiconductor manufacturing plants can lead to supply chain disruptions. It is recommended to download the Earthquake App by the Central Weather Administration of Taiwan for information and alerts about earthquakes (https://www.cwa.gov.tw/V8/E/S/eservice/app/app_e.html) and follow the precautions advised (https://scweb.cwa.gov.tw/en-us/page/intro/38). The India Taipei Association (ITA) has set up an emergency helpline for Indian nationals in Taiwan (Mobile: 0905247906 Email: ad.ita@mea.gov.in.).