List of earthquakes in Taiwan

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Taiwan seismicity.jpg
2021 Taiwan Fault Distribution Map.jpg
Plot of earthquake data (left) and the fault distribution in Taiwan
3D block diagram showing plate tectonic setting of Taiwan Taiwan tectonics block diagram.png
3D block diagram showing plate tectonic setting of Taiwan

Taiwan is in a seismically active zone, on the Pacific Ring of Fire, and at the western edge of the Philippine Sea Plate. [1] Geologists have identified 42 active faults on the island, but most of the earthquakes detected in Taiwan are due to the convergence of the Philippine Sea plate and the Eurasian Plate to the east of the island. [1] [2] Most of the earthquakes registered in Taiwan actually occur off the east coast and cause little damage, whereas smaller quakes beneath the island itself have historically proven more destructive. The first recorded earthquake in Taiwan was in 1624, the founding year of Dutch Formosa. [3] Between 1901 and the year 2000 there were 91 major earthquakes in Taiwan, 48 of them resulting in loss of life. [4] The most recent major earthquake was the 2024 Taiwan earthquake, and the most recent major earthquake with a high death toll was the 921 earthquake, which struck on 21 September 1999, and claimed 2,415 lives.

Contents

Many modern buildings in Taiwan are constructed with earthquake safety in mind, including Taipei 101, which had to cope with the dual challenges of being flexible enough to withstand earthquakes, yet rigid enough to resist wind shear. The High Speed Rail system incorporates an automatic safety device to safely bring all trains to a halt when a significant earthquake is detected. [5] Nevertheless, poor construction standards have been blamed for casualties in a number of major earthquakes, including the 1906 Meishan earthquake and the 1999 Jiji earthquake. Inside Taiwan the Central Weather Bureau is the organisation responsible for monitoring and reporting on earthquakes. Large earthquakes are also assessed by the United States Geological Survey. Scientific studies of the seismology of the island started in the Japanese era, when the first seismograph was installed in Taipei by Fusakichi Omori's company. [6]

Earthquakes

Significant earthquakes are listed here from 1736 to the present. Starting with the Japanese era in 1895 there were major improvements in detection technology, allowing more detailed gathering of data.

DateAreas Lat Long Depth
(km)		 Mag. MMI DeathsInjuriesHouses destroyed / notes
2024-04-03 Hualien23.819121.56234.87.4 Mw VIII171,145+Some buildings collapsed / Bridge collapsed [7] [8]
2022-09-18 Taitung23.159121.31610.06.9 Mw IX1171Some buildings collapsed / Bridge collapsed
2022-03-22Taitung23.409121.55924.06.7 Mw VII1Power outages / Bridge collapsed [9] [10]
2022-01-03Hualien23.997122.23528.76.2 Mw IVSome buildings were damaged [11] [12] [13] [14]
2021-10-24Yilan24.571121.83064.56.2 Mw VI1 [15]
2021-07-13Hualien23.902121.62310.05.2 Mw IIIMinor damage [16] [17]
2019-08-07Yilan24.478121.93020.85.8 Mw VI1 [18]
2019-04-18 Hualien24.037121.65020.06.1 Mw VI116 [19]
2018-02-06 Hualien24.134121.65917.06.4 Mw VIII17277Some buildings collapsed [20] [21]
2018-02-04Hualien24.157121.70812.06.1 Mw VI [22]
2017-02-10Tainan22.83120.2215.85.3 Mw VII4Power outages [23]
2016-02-06 Tainan, Kaohsiung22.94120.59236.4 Mw VII1175509 [24] [25]
2015-04-20Yilan24.05122.3756.4 Mw V1
2013-10-31Hualien23.62121.4319.56.3 Mw VII0
2013-06-02 Island-wide23.87121.010.06.2 Mw VII518
2013-03-27 Island-wide23.9121.0719.45.9 Mw V197
2012-02-26Pingtung22.75120.7526.36.40
2010-03-04 Kaohsiung22.92120.7356.3 Mw VI96
2009-12-19 Hualien23.76121.69436.4 Mw VI6
2006-12-26 Pingtung21.69120.5644.17.1 Mw VII23
21.97120.4250.26.9 Mw V
2004-10-15Yilan, Su-ao24.5122.6966.7 Mw  [26]
2004-05-01Hualien24.1121.9517.85.82
2002-05-15Yilan, Hualien24.6121.956.2 Mw VI1
2002-03-31 Hualien, Taipei24.2122.19.67.1 Mw 76
2000-06-11Nantou23.9121.110.26.4 Mw 2
2000-05-17Nantou24.2121.135.33
1999-09-21 Island-wide23.9120.887.7 Mw X+2,415 [27]
1998-07-17Nantou23.5120.736.25
1995-06-25Yilan24.6121.7406.0 Mw 16
1995-02-23Hualien24.2121.721.76.2 Mw 2
1994-09-16 Taiwan Strait22.5118.7136.8 Mw 00
1994-06-05Yilan24.4121.85.36.4 Mw VII11
1990-12-13Hualien23.9121.536.7 Mw VII23
1986-11-15Hualien24.0121.8157.4 Mw VII1537
1986-05-20Hualien24.1121.6166.2 Mw VIII1
1982-01-23Yilan, Hualien24.0121.636.51
1978-12-13Hualien23.3121.647.0 Mw VI2
1972-04-24 Hualien23.5121.4157.0 Mw VII550
1972-01-25Taitung22.5122.3337.3 Mw VI15
1967-10-25Yilan24.4122.1206.8 Mw VII221
1966-03-13 Hualien24.2122.7427.5 Mw VII424
1964-01-18 Chiayi, Tainan23.2120.6186.5 Mw VI10610,924
1963-03-04Yilan24.6121.156.3 Mw 1
1963-02-13 Yilan24.35122.06477.2 Mw VII3–153–186
1959-08-15 Pingtung 21.7121.3207.1161,214
1959-04-27Northeast Taiwan24.1123.01507.719
1957-10-20Hualien23.7121.5106.64
1957-02-24Hualien23.8121.8307.31144
1951-11-25Taitung23.3121.3307.8Mw 17
1951-10-22 Hualien23.9121.7257.5Mw 68
1946-12-05 Tainan23.1120.356.1741,954
1943-12-02 Taitung 22.5121.5406.8 Mw 3139
1943-10-23Hualien23.8121.556.211
1941-12-17 Chiayi23.4120.5127.2Mw 3604,520
1935-07-17Hsinchu, Taichung24.6120.7306.2441,734
1935-04-21 Miaoli, Taichung24.4120.857.1Mw 3,27617,907
1930-12-08Tainan23.3120.4206.3 Mw 449
1927-08-25Tainan23.3120.56.8 Muk 9–3027–100200–214 [28]
1922-12-02Hualien24.6122.06.011
1922-10-15Hualien24.6122.3205.96
1922-09-22Hualien24.5122207.6514
1920-06-05 Hualien24.6121.9208.2824273
1917-01-07Central Taiwan23.9120.9shallow5.5187
1917-01-05Central Taiwan24.0121.0shallow6.254130
1916-11-15Central Taiwan24.1120.936.2197
1916-08-28 Central Taiwan24.0121.0456.816614
1910-04-12 Keelung25.1122.92008.36013
1909-04-15Taipei23.7121.5807.39122
1908-01-11 Hualien 23.7121.4107.323
1906-04-14Tainan23.4120.4206.6151,794
1906-03-17 Chiayi23.6120.566.8 Ms IX1,258–1,2662,385– 2,47614,218–30,021
1904-11-06 Chiayi23.6120.376.1145661
1904-04-24Chiayi23.5120.3–6.1366
1897-03-15 Yilan, Taipei––––5650
1882-12-09Island-wide23.0121.4–~7.51040
1881-02-18Taipei, Hsinchu, Miaoli 24.6120.7–~6.211210
1867-12-18 Greater Taipei 25.3121.7–~7.0580
1865-11-06 Taipei 24.9121.6–~6.0"many"
1862-06-07Changhua23.2120.2–~7.0over 500over 500
1848-12-03Chiayi24.1120.5–~7.11,03013,993
1845-03-04 Taichung 24.1120.7–~6.03814220
1815-10-13From Chiayi northwards24.0121.7–~7.7113243
1811-03-17From Chiayi northwards23.8121.8–~7.52141
1792-08-09 Yunlin 23.6120.5–~7.161724,621
1736-01-30 Tainan 23.1120.5–~6.5372698
Muk  = Unknown magnitude scale, ML  = Richter magnitude scale, Ms  = surface wave magnitude, and Mw  = moment magnitude scale. The inclusion criteria for adding events are based on WikiProject Earthquakes' notability guideline that was developed for stand alone articles. The principles described are also applicable to lists. In summary, only damaging, injurious, or deadly events should be recorded.

See also

Related Research Articles

The 1964 Baihe earthquake, also known as the Great Baihe earthquake, measured 6.3 local magnitude, and occurred at 20:04 CST (UTC+8) on 18 January in Baihe Township of Tainan County, Taiwan. The hypocenter of the earthquake was 20 kilometers deep. The earthquake killed 106 people, destroyed 10,924 buildings, and caused a great fire in Chiayi City. It was the sixth deadliest earthquake in 20th century Taiwan, and the third deadliest post-World War II, after the 1999 Jiji earthquake and the 2016 Taiwan earthquake.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hualien City</span> County-administered city in Taiwan Province, Taiwan

Hualien City is a county-administered city and the county seat of Hualien County, Taiwan. It is located on the east coast of Taiwan on the Pacific Ocean, and has a population of 99,458 inhabitants.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1904 Douliu earthquake</span>

The 1904 Douliu earthquake struck central Taiwan with a magnitude of 6.1 at 04:25 on November 6. The quake caused widespread damage and killed 145 people, making it the fifth deadliest earthquake of the 20th century in Taiwan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1916–1917 Nantou earthquakes</span> Earthquakes in Taiwan

The 1916–1917 Nantou earthquakes affected central Taiwan in 1916 and 1917, causing heavy damage in sparsely populated Nanto Chō and claiming 71 lives. The strongest quake registered at 6.8 ML and besides the loss of life caused widespread damage to agricultural and forestry industries in central Taiwan.

The 1941 Chungpu earthquake occurred with a magnitude of 7.2 on December 17, and was centred on the town of Chūho Village, Kagi District, Tainan Prefecture of Taiwan under Japanese rule. It was the fourth-deadliest earthquake of the 20th century in Taiwan, claiming 358 lives.

The 1951 East Rift Valley earthquakes were a series of earthquakes which struck eastern Taiwan from 22 October 1951 to 5 December 1951, four of which registered at 7 or greater on the moment magnitude scale, the largest of those being magnitude 7.3 and 7.8 quakes on November 24. Altogether the quakes killed 85 people.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1959 Hengchun earthquake</span> Earthquake in Taiwan

The 1959 Hengchun earthquake struck the southern tip of Taiwan on August 15. With a Richter magnitude of 7.1, it was the tenth deadliest earthquake in twentieth century Taiwan, killing 16 or 17 people.

The 1946 Hsinhua earthquake, also referred to as the 1946 Tainan earthquake was a magnitude 6.1 earthquake which hit Tainan County, Taiwan, on 5 December 1946, at 06:47. The quake claimed 74 lives and was the eighth deadliest earthquake in twentieth century Taiwan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2009 Hualien earthquake</span> 6.4 Mw earthquake in Taiwan

The 2009 Hualien earthquake occurred on December 19 at 21:02:14 with a moment magnitude of 6.4 and a maximum Mercalli intensity of VI (Strong). The oblique-slip event took place off the coast of Hualien, Taiwan. Strong shaking could be felt in Hualien City and Taipei. The earthquake could also be felt in Hong Kong and Xiamen, China, and on several islands between Yonaguni and Tarama, Japan.

The 1972 Ruisui earthquake occurred on April 24 at 17:57 local time. The magnitude of this earthquake was given as Ms 7.2 by the United States Geological Survey and ML 6.9 by the Central Weather Bureau of Taiwan. The epicenter was located near Ruisui Township, Hualien County, Taiwan. The intensity was shindo 4 in Taipei and Hualien. Five people were reported dead. The Ruisui Bridge was destroyed. The water treatment plant in Ruisui was damaged.

The 2013 Nantou earthquake struck central Taiwan with a moment magnitude of 5.9 and a maximum Mercalli intensity of V (Moderate) on March 27 at 10:03 a.m. local time. The epicenter was located in mountainous terrain in Ren'ai Township, Nantou County, Taiwan, not far from Sun Moon Lake.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2018 Hualien earthquake</span> Magnitude 6.4 earthquake in Taiwan

At 23:50 (UTC+8) on 6 February 2018, an earthquake of magnitude 6.4 on the moment magnitude scale hit Taiwan. The epicenter was on the coastline near Hualien, which was the most severely affected area, with a maximum felt intensity of VIII (Severe) on the Mercalli intensity scale. At least 17 deaths were reported, with 285 injured. The maximum foreshock was recorded on 4 February 2018, at 21:56:40. The epicenter was located at Hualien County, Taiwan, reaching a scale of ML 5.8.

Events in the year 1946 in Taiwan, Republic of China.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2019 Hualien earthquake</span> Magnitude 6.1 earthquake in Taiwan

The 2019 Hualien earthquake struck Hualien County, Taiwan with a moment magnitude of 6.1 on 18 April at 13:01 local time.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2022 Taitung earthquakes</span> Earthquakes in Taiwan

Two earthquakes affected Taitung and Hualien Counties, Taiwan within hours of each other. The first earthquake struck Taitung on September 17, 2022, occurring with a magnitude of 6.5 Mw , causing minor damage and some injuries. The second earthquake occurred roughly a day after the first tremor struck the same area, with a stronger magnitude of 6.9 Mw . Both earthquakes had maximum Modified Mercalli intensities of VII and IX (Violent), respectively.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2024 Hualien earthquake</span> 7.4 magnitude earthquake in Taiwan

On 3 April 2024, at 07:58:11 NST, a Mw 7.4 earthquake struck 18 km (11 mi) south-southwest of Hualien City, Hualien County, Taiwan. At least 17 people died and over 1,100 were injured in the earthquake. It is the strongest earthquake in Taiwan since the 1999 Jiji earthquake, with several aftershocks above Mw 5.0.

References

  1. 1 2 Taiwan Yearbook 2005, p. 23
  2. ↑ Yu, S.B.; Chen, H.Y.; Kuo, L.C. (1997). "Velocity field of GPS stations in the Taiwan area". Tectonophysics. 274 (1–3): 41–59. Bibcode:1997Tectp.274...41Y. doi:10.1016/S0040-1951(96)00297-1.
  3. ↑ 二十世紀前 (1604–1900) 台灣地區的地震記載. Central Weather Bureau. Archived from the original on 2010-12-14. Retrieved 2009-07-20.
  4. ↑ 二十世紀 (1901–2000) 台灣地區災害性地震 (in Chinese). Central Weather Bureau. Archived from the original on 2018-04-25. Retrieved 2009-07-17.
  5. ↑ "SHATTERED BELIEF: Biting the bullet". Asahi Shimbun. Retrieved 2009-07-20.
  6. ↑ Davidson, Charles (1927). The Founders of Seismology. p. 223.
  7. ↑ National Earthquake Information Center (3 April 2024). "M 7.4 - 18 km SSW of Hualien City, Taiwan". United States Geological Survey . Retrieved 3 April 2024.
  8. ↑ "快訊／花蓮7.2地震！整棟大樓「整根拔起」倒塌 驚悚畫面曝光" (in Chinese). TVBS. 3 April 2024. Retrieved 3 April 2024.
  9. ↑ USGS. "M 6.7 - 63 km S of Hualien City, China Taiwan". United States Geological Survey.
  10. ↑ "更新【國家級警報】台灣3/23清晨連六震! 最強規模6.6 花蓮玉里鎮玉興橋新建橋面震垮!". Taiwan News (in Chinese (Taiwan)). 22 March 2022. Retrieved 22 March 2022.
  11. ↑ USGS. "M 6.2 - 64 km E of Hualien City, Taiwan". United States Geological Survey.
  12. ↑ "地震規模6.0 北市2建物磁磚掉落無傷亡" (in Chinese). Yahoo! News. 3 January 2022. Retrieved 3 January 2022.
  13. ↑ "雙北地震搖很大！三重1213戶停電 台電：已全數復電". udn.com (in Chinese). 3 January 2022. Retrieved 3 January 2022.
  14. ↑ "Taiwan's first earthquake for 2022 a magnitude 6: some minor damage, no casualties reported". taiwanenglishnews.com. 3 January 2022. Retrieved 6 January 2022.
  15. ↑ USGS. "M 6.2 - 21 km SSE of Yilan, Taiwan". United States Geological Survey.
  16. ↑ "M 5.2 - 8 km SSE of Hualien City, Taiwan". earthquake.usgs.gov.
  17. ↑ "Series of earthquakes in eastern Taiwan causes some damage". The Asahi Shimbun.
  18. ↑ USGS. "M 5.8 - 35 km SSE of Yilan, Taiwan". United States Geological Survey.
  19. ↑ USGS. "M 6.1 - 8 km NE of Hualien City, Taiwan". United States Geological Survey.
  20. ↑ USGS. "M 6.4 - 18 km NNE of Hualien City, Taiwan". United States Geological Survey.
  21. ↑ "Earthquake - Magnitude 6.4 - TAIWAN - 2018 February 06".
  22. ↑ USGS. "M 6.1 - 22 km NNE of Hualien City, Taiwan". United States Geological Survey.
  23. ↑ USGS. "M 5.3 - 18km S of Tainan, Taiwan". United States Geological Survey.
  24. ↑ "M 6.4 - 25km SE of Yujing, Taiwan". earthquake.usgs.gov. Retrieved 2018-02-09.
  25. ↑ 交通部中央氣象局 (2018-01-18). "中央氣象局全球資訊網". 中央氣象局全球資訊網. Retrieved 2018-02-09.
  26. ↑ "地震資訊 第094號 10月15日12時8分 規模7.1 宜蘭蘇澳地震站東方 101.8 公里 - 中央氣象署地震測報中心". scweb.cwa.gov.tw (in Chinese). Retrieved 2024-04-04.
  27. ↑ "Original ArticleMortality of the 921 Earthquake in Nantou and Taichung Counties".
  28. ↑ NGDC 1972

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