An earthquake of magnitude 7.2 struck off the coast of Taiwan, killing 7 people and leaving more than 700 injured. The epicenter was recorded at a depth of 34.8 km, about 18 km south of the city of Hualien, according to the US Geological Survey. Taiwan’s Central Meteorological Administration noted that the earthquake had a depth of 15.5 km.
Taiwan’s National Fire Agency (NFA) informs that, in addition to the dead, 736 people were injured in the quake, and 77 people remain trapped in the rubble. One of the dead was found in the sparsely populated eastern county of Hualien, where a rock fall occurred.
The authorities also announced a tsunami threat and called for evacuation of coastal areas. The earthquake was first reported by Reuters on the morning of April 3, and CNN described the situation in more detail.
This earthquake has become the strongest in the last 25 years, which requires immediate rescue operations and support for the victims, the newspaper emphasized.
This earthquake may also have consequences for the semiconductor industry, as Taiwan is home to the largest computer chip production facilities of TSMC.
