An earthquake with a magnitude of 6 struck southeastern Taiwan on Wednesday, according to the U.S. Geological Survey, with no immediate reports of damage. The U.S. agency reported that the earthquake hit at 17:47 local time (09:47 GMT) at a depth of 10 kilometers in Taitung county. Taiwan's Central Weather Administration had earlier announced that the quake's magnitude was 6.1. The German Research Centre for Geosciences (GFZ) also reported a 6.1-magnitude earthquake in Taiwan on Wednesday. According to the National Fire Agency, there have been no reports of damage to transportation networks on the island. Residents, particularly in northern areas of the capital, Taipei, felt the tremors, with some buildings shaking. Local television channels aired footage of products falling from shelves in major supermarkets and shattering in Taitung. Taiwan frequently experiences earthquakes due to its location on the edge of two tectonic plates near the Pacific Ring of Fire, an area described by the U.S. Geological Survey as the most seismically active in the world. The last major earthquake occurred in April 2024, when a deadly 7.4-magnitude quake struck the island, which officials said was the strongest in 25 years. The earthquake resulted in at least 17 deaths, triggered landslides, and caused significant damage to buildings in Hualien city. In 1999, Taiwan was struck by a 7.6-magnitude earthquake, the deadliest natural disaster in the island's history.
