Taipei, Oct 21: Five undersea earthquakes measuring between 4 and 4.8 on the Richter Scale struck Taiwan today. However there were no immediate reports of casualties and damage said seismologists. The epicenters of the quakes were located between 14.6 km and 22.1 km off Hsincheng in Hualien along the eastern coast, striking between 5:25 am and 8:27 am local time, according to seismologists. Originating from between 11.8 km and 15.4 km under the seabed, three measured 4.8 on the Richter Scale while the other two were 4.2 and 4.0. Prone to frequent earthquakes, Taiwan was hit by a powerful one on September 16, measuring 6.8 on the Richter Scale but had no casualties or damage. On March 31, a tremor of the same magnitude killed five people in Taipei. On May 15, a three-month-old boy was killed in Eastern Taiwan by another measuring 6.2.


On September 21, 1999, a quake measuring 7.6 on the Richter Scale devastated central Taiwan, killing 2,400 people and destroying some 10,000 homes.



Bureau Report