Seven dead in Taiwan’s strongest earthquake in 25 years

People must be confined in collapsed buildings. Taiwan’s authorities report seven dead and over 700 injured.

An earthquake with a magnitude of 7.7 has been recorded off the coast of Taiwan, towards Japan. The earthquake struck around 8 o’clock Wednesday morning local time, which corresponds to 2 o’clock in the morning Norwegian time.

Just after 8 o’clock Norwegian time, the authorities report that seven people have died and over 700 people have been injured.

Buildings have collapsed

Buildings are reported to have collapsed in the city of Hualien on the east coast of Taiwan after an earthquake. The country’s media reports on people being locked up.

According to state media, the earthquake is the strongest to hit the country in 25 years.

Rescue workers are now working furiously to get trapped and injured people out of collapsed buildings in Hualien:

According to the news agency Reuters, witnesses report that the strong tremor was noticeable in Taiwan’s capital Taipei, where the power is out in several areas.

The industrial giant Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) has evacuated employees from production lines after the earthquake, according to the Bloomberg news agency.

Downgraded tsunami warning

A tsunami of up to three meters was expected to reach the island of Okinawa in Japan. However, the warning was downgraded somewhat later by the Japan Meteorological Institute, which said the waves could reach a height of one meter. At 11 a.m. local time, the warning was lifted.

The American Pacific Tsunami Warning Center announced shortly after 4 o’clock on Wednesday night Norwegian time that the danger was largely over.

According to Japanese meteorological authorities, the quake is very shallow.

Chinese authorities report that the quake was felt in Fujian province and in Shanghai.