Taiwan Shaken: Magnitude 5.9 Earthquake Jolts Eastern Coast

Hualien County Experiences Powerful Seismic Activity, Prompting Alert

Taipei, Taiwan - The eastern coast of Taiwan experienced significant seismic activity on Monday, with a magnitude 5.9 earthquake striking off the coast of Hualien County at 6:53 p.m., according to the Central Weather Administration (CWA).

This marks the second earthquake exceeding magnitude 5 to hit the area within an hour, causing concern amongst residents. Preliminary reports indicate no immediate damage following the powerful temblor.

The epicenter of the substantial earthquake was located 33.7 kilometers east-southeast of the Hualien County government building, at a depth of 6.6 kilometers, as revealed by CWA data. The intensity of the quake, a measure of its actual impact, reached level 4 on Taiwan's 7-tier intensity scale in various areas of Hualien County.

Additional areas reported felt intensities, with level 3 registering in Yilan, Nantou, Yunlin, and Changhua counties, as well as in Taichung, as per the CWA.

Preceding the 5.9 magnitude earthquake, which was also felt in Taipei, six other earthquakes were recorded in the waters off Hualien since 6 p.m. The list includes a magnitude 5.5 temblor at 6:09 p.m., according to data from the weather agency.