Strong and shallow M6.3 earthquake hits near the coast of Taiwan
A strong and shallow earthquake registered by the USGS as M6.3 hit near the northeastern coast of Taiwan at 06:23 UTC on May 9, 2022. The agency is reporting a depth of 27 km (16.7 miles). EMSC is reporting M6.3 at a depth of 20 km (12.4 miles).
The epicenter was located 70.8 km (44 miles) SW of Yonakuni (population 1 684) and 91.3 km (56.7 miles) E of Hualien City (population 350 468), Taiwan.
There are about 300 000 people living within 100 km (62 miles).
2 000 people are estimated to have felt moderate shaking and 17 866 000 light.
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
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