Taiwan was struck by its strongest earthquake in 25 years, killing nine people, injuring 934 people, and causing widespread damage across the island, Associated Press reports.
The earthquake, with a magnitude of 7.2 according to Taiwan’s earthquake monitoring agency and 7.4 according to the US Geological Survey, struck off the coast of rural Hualien County during the morning rush hour. The quake caused buildings to tilt precariously and triggered landslides, damaging roads and infrastructure. The fire agency also reported that 70 coal miners were trapped in two coal mines.
Taiwan, located on the Pacific Ring of Fire, faces periodic seismic activity, with past earthquakes causing significant casualties and infrastructure damage. The quake also affected parts of China and Japan, where a minor tsunami was detected.
