Strong M6.1 earthquake hits near Yilan, Taiwan
A strong earthquake registered by the USGS as M6.1 hit near Yilan, Taiwan at 13:19 UTC on December 10, 2020. The agency is reporting a depth of 74.6 km (46 miles). EMSC is reporting M6.2 at a depth of 71 km (44 miles).
The epicenter was located 26.5 km (16.5 miles) E of Yilan (population 94 188), 50.2 km (31.2 miles) SSE of Keelung (population 397 515), and 58.9 km (36.6 miles) SE of Taipei (population 7 871 900), Taiwan.
There are 10 070 000 people living within 100 km (62 miles) and 888 000 within 50 km (31 miles).
3 373 000 people are estimated to have felt moderate shaking and 13 933 000 moderate.
Image credit: TW/SAM, Google
The USGS issued a green alert for shaking-related fatalities and economic losses. There is a low likelihood of casualties and damage.
Overall, the population in this region resides in structures that are resistant to earthquake shaking, though vulnerable structures exist. The predominant vulnerable building types are heavy wood frame and reinforced/confined masonry construction.
Recent earthquakes in this area have caused secondary hazards such as landslides that might have contributed to losses.
Estimated population exposure to earthquake shaking
Selected cities exposed
Regional seismicity
Featured image credit: TW/SAM, Google
If you value what we do here, create your ad-free account and support our journalism.
Your support makes a difference
Dear valued reader,
We hope that our website has been a valuable resource for you.
The reality is that it takes a lot of time, effort, and resources to maintain and grow this website. We rely on the support of readers like you to keep providing high-quality content.
If you have found our website to be helpful, please consider making a contribution to help us continue to bring you the information you need. Your support means the world to us and helps us to keep doing what we love.
Support us by choosing your support level – Silver, Gold or Platinum.
Other support options include Patreon pledges, one-off payments using PayPal and purchasing products from our webshop.
Thank you for your consideration. Your support is greatly appreciated.
Sincerely,
Teo Blašković
Commenting rules and guidelines
We value the thoughts and opinions of our readers and welcome healthy discussions on our website. In order to maintain a respectful and positive community, we ask that all commenters follow these rules:
We reserve the right to remove any comments that violate these rules. By commenting on our website, you agree to abide by these guidelines. Thank you for helping to create a positive and welcoming environment for all.