Taipei: Taiwan’s strongest earthquake in a quarter century rocked the island during the morning rush hour Wednesday, damaging buildings and highways and causing the deaths of four people.
Taiwan’s national fire agency said four people died in Hualien County and at least 57 were injured in the 7.2 magnitude earthquake that struck just before 8 a.m.
At least 26 buildings have collapsed, more than half in Hualien, with about 20 people trapped and rescue work ongoing, it said.
The quake had a depth of 15.5km (9.6 miles), according to Taiwan’s Central Weather Administration.
Japan’s weather agency said several small tsunami waves reached parts of the southern prefecture of Okinawa, and later downgraded the earlier tsunami warning to an advisory.
