TAIPEI (TVBS News) — A magnitude 5.8 earthquake rumbled through Taiwan on Wednesday morning (April 9) , originating deep beneath the island's northeastern coast. Seismologists have classified the tremor as an independent event, unrelated to previous seismic activities in the region, including a recent 5.9 magnitude offshore quake. The earthquake's considerable depth of 72.4 kilometers helped minimize potential damage despite its significant strength.
The tremor struck Su'ao Township (蘇澳鎮) in Yilan County at 9:53 a.m., according to Taiwan's Central Weather Administration (CWA, 中央氣象署), the island's meteorological agency. Wu Chien-fu (吳健富), deputy director of the CWA seismological center, attributed the earthquake to tectonic activity where the Philippine Sea Plate subducts beneath the Eurasian Plate, a common source of seismic events in the region.
The northeastern region of Taiwan has a well-documented history of seismic activity, with numerous past earthquakes exceeding magnitude 5.5. This quake's substantial depth limited its impact on the surface, Wu explained, noting that intensity level 4 shaking was felt primarily in Yilan and Hualien counties along the eastern coast. The tremors registered at level 3 in northern areas including the capital region, and level 2 elsewhere across the island. According to Wu, the seismic signal required more than 10 seconds to reach surface monitoring stations, which triggered a national earthquake alert 16.6 seconds after the initial rupture. Taipei experienced pronounced shaking due to "basin effects," where the capital's geological foundation can amplify seismic waves.
Wu cautioned that residents should prepare for potential aftershocks reaching up to magnitude 5 in the coming days, though he reassured the public that their impact on the surface should remain minimal given the primary earthquake's deep origin. While urging citizens not to worry excessively, he emphasized the ongoing importance of earthquake preparedness across the island. Taiwan's position along the seismically active Pacific Ring of Fire results in an average of 45 earthquakes between magnitudes 5 and 6 annually, making such events a regular feature of life on the island.
