Taiwan earthquake: 6.1 magnitude tremor strikes Taitung county; depth of 11.9 kilometres

An earthquake of magnitude 6.1 struck Taiwan on Wednesday, according to the local weather agency, quoted by AFP.There were no immediate reports of damage. The quake struck at 5:47 pm (0947 GMT) at a depth of 11.9 kilometres (7 miles) in Taitung county.Later, the USGS revised the magnitude to 6. The impact was also felt in the capital Taipei, where buildings shook while videos were circulated of products falling from supermarket shelves in Taitung.Taiwan is often dealing with earthquakes, due to its location. It is located on the edge of two tectonic plates near the Pacific Ring of Fire, which the USGS says is the most seismically active zone in the world.The last major earthquake before this struck in April 2024, when Taiwan was jolted by a powerful 7.4-magnitude tremor, described by officials as the strongest in 25 years.That quake killed at least 17 people, triggered landslides, and caused extensive structural damage, particularly in and around Hualien.It was the most severe quake event on the island since the devastating 7.6-magnitude earthquake of 1999, which remains Taiwan’s deadliest natural disaster.