Taipei, Taiwan
CNN
—
A 7.4 magnitude earthquake struck of Taiwan The east coast on Wednesday triggered tsunami warnings for the island and southern Japan, according to the US Geological Survey.
The epicenter was located 18 kilometers (11 mi) south of the city of Hualien. Tremors were felt across the island, including by CNN staff in Taipei.
Taiwan's defense ministry said preliminary damage had been reported, with houses leaning over in Hualien County.
Military personnel have been dispatched to aid in disaster relief and schools and workplaces have suspended operations as aftershocks hit the island.
Footage broadcast by CNN affiliate TVBS shows how Taiwanese captured the moment the tremors hit their homes and businesses. One video showed power lines swaying violently above a street, another saw chandeliers shaking in a restaurant, and a third showed water pouring out of a fishbowl.
Taiwan's Central Meteorological Administration has issued a tsunami warning following the earthquake. A CWA warning advised residents to evacuate to higher ground as a tsunami was expected to impact the island's northern coastline.
The Japan Meteorological Agency has also issued a tsunami warning for Miyakojima and Okinawa islands. Warning for waves up to 3 meters (nearly 10 feet) tall. A 30-centimeter (almost 1 foot) wave hit Okinawa, the agency said.
A spokesman for the Central Meteorological Administration said the earthquake was the strongest to hit Taiwan in 25 years. In 1999, A magnitude 7.7 earthquake struck 93 miles (150 kilometers) south of Taipei, killing 2,400 and injuring 10,000.
Located in Taiwan Pacific Ring of FireIt runs along the edge of the Pacific Ocean and causes massive seismic and volcanic activity from Indonesia to Chile.
The island is frequently rocked by earthquakes. A 6.2 magnitude earthquake occurred nearby Hualien in 2018At least murder 17 dead and over 300 injured.
Hualien County is home to about 300,000 people and is close to the popular tourist destination Taroko Gorge.
This is a developing story and will be updated.
