CHIAYI (TVBS News) — A magnitude 5.2 earthquake struck Chiayi at 12:46 a.m. Saturday (Feb. 8), followed by a magnitude 3.6 tremor 13 minutes later. Former Seismological Center (地震測報中心) Director Kuo Kai-wen (郭鎧紋) described the earthquake's force as equivalent to 0.03 atomic bombs, with a rupture area comparable to Taipei's Da'an District (台北市大安區). This marks the largest quake since Jan. 31.
Kuo explained that aftershocks have mostly occurred south of the magnitude 6.4 mainshock in Dapu (大埔), Chiayi, on Jan. 21. However, the epicenter of this recent quake lay north of the mainshock.
The former director noted that this is the sixth-largest aftershock since the main event and urged the public to remain vigilant due to the quake's significant impact. He further elaborated on the scale of the earthquake, emphasizing that while a magnitude 5.2 might seem minor, the rupture area is substantial.
Kuo compared the rupture size of a magnitude 4 quake to the size of National Taiwan University's Gongguan Campus (台大公館校區), while a magnitude 5 rupture equates to the size of Da'an District (大安區) in Taipei. He encouraged residents to stay alert and consider the potential risks.
