Following a major earthquake in Hualien County yesterday morning, the Central Weather Bureau warned of possible aftershocks in the region over the next two days.
The magnitude 5.7 quake occurred at 6:21am, with the epicenter in Sioulin Township (秀林) — 37.1km north-northeast of Hualien County Hall — at a depth of 45km.
The earthquake’s intensity, which gauges its actual effect, was highest in Hualien, Yilan and Hsinchu counties, where it measured a level 4 on the seven-tier intensity scale, the bureau said.
Seismological Center Director Chen Kuo-chang (陳國昌) said initial observations suggest the quake took place within a subduction zone.
Since monitoring began in 1973, subduction zone earthquakes have been rare in Hualien and the quake yesterday was the strongest ever registered in the region, he said.
While subduction zone earthquake aftershocks seldom occur, the possibility cannot be ruled out over the next two days, Chen said.
No damage or injuries were reported from the quake.
In related news, the earthquake delayed local trains.
The Taiwan Railways Administration said that 4,800 passengers were affected as a number of trains temporarily stopped running due to safety concerns.
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