The Taiwan Meteorological Agency CWA (China) said that the earthquake occurred at 11:05 PM on December 27 (local time), the epicenter was offshore, about 32.3km east of the Nghi Lan district government headquarters, at a depth of 72.8km.
This is a strong earthquake, with a wide range of impacts, causing tremors to be felt on almost the entire island.
According to the intensity scale from 1 to 7 used by Taiwan (China), many areas recorded level 4 intensity, including Nghi Lan, Tan Bac, Hoa Lien, Taipei, Co Long, Dao Vien, Tan Truc, Dai Trung, Nam Dau, Mieu Lat, Chuong Hoa, Van Lam, Dai Dong, Gia Nghia and Dai Nam.
Level 3 intensity was recorded in Cao Hung and Binh Dong, while island districts such as Penghu and Lien Giang were at level 2. Kim Mon only recorded light shaking at level 1.
In Taipei, many residents described the feeling of "buildings shaking violently in a few tens of seconds", furniture shaking clearly. Authorities immediately issued earthquake warnings to mobile phones of people throughout the island. Local media reported that some ceilings collapsed, shelves in supermarkets collapsed, but no major casualties have been recorded.
For safety reasons, railway and high-speed train operators temporarily reduced speeds or checked the system for a short time. However, just minutes later, the Taipei city government announced that there had been no reports of serious damage or major incidents.
Taiwan's (China) fire agency said that the earthquake was not strong enough to send a tsunami warning. However, Taiwan's (China) leader Lai Thanh Duc quickly called on people to be vigilant, recommended safety checks for families and relatives and be ready to respond to possible aftershocks.
Notably, the tremors forced some facilities of TSMC - the world's largest contract chip manufacturing corporation - to temporarily evacuate.
In a short announcement, TSMC said that the company absolutely prioritizes safety for personnel, implements outdoor evacuation and listing according to the emergency response process. This enterprise affirmed that safety systems at all facilities are still operating normally.
TSMC and Taiwan's (China) semiconductor industry play a vital role in the global technology economy. This island produces the most advanced chips in the world - a type of component that no other country can completely replace.
Any disruption at chip factories in Taiwan (China) could cause chain reaction, affecting the smartphone and automotive industries to industrial equipment, while pushing global technology prices up.
Taiwan (China), which is located on the earthquake belt, is a frequent site of major earthquakes. In April 2024, a 7.2 magnitude earthquake occurred in the east of the island, killing at least 18 people and injuring more than 1,000 others.
Previously, the horrific earthquake in 1999 with a magnitude of 7.3 claimed the lives of more than 2,000 people, becoming one of the most serious natural disasters in Taiwan (China) history.
