Taiwan earthquake: Japan and China tsunami warning as huge 7.2 magnitude quake tears buildings from ground
Joseph Wilkes

A massive 7.2 magnitude earthquake has rocked the entire island of Taiwan, with a terrifying tsunami warning being issued for Japan and China as buildings shake and items are shattered in people's homes.

Three metre tsunami waves are expected to hit Japan and an evacuation order has been issued in Okinawa, Miyako, and Yaeyama islands in Japan. China and the Philippines authorities have also issued tsunami warnings, urging people to get ready to flee or escape to safe zones.

Any earthquake measuring 7.0 to 7.9 is defined as "Major earthquake. Serious damage." Buildings have collapsed in a southern city of Taiwan and the tsunami is washing ashore on southern Japanese islands.

Japan's Self Defense Force has sent aircraft to gather information about the tsunami impact around the Okinawa region and were preparing shelters for evacuees if necessary. Search and rescue operatons are underway to rescue at least one person trapped in rubble in Taiwan, but there are fears there could be more. Passengers were injured after roofs collapsed at Taoyuan Airport in Taipei, Taiwan.

Taiwan has issued a tsunami warning for coastal areas, after what was the biggest quake to hit the island in 25 years The tremor was felt as far as Shanghai, in neighbouring China, which is 500 miles to the north of the quake's epicentre. A wave of 30cm has reportedly reached nearby Yonaguni Island in Okinawa, Japan.

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Japan is recalling flights due to the tsunami warning - for example, the Japan Transocean Air Flight NU552 to Naha, Japan, is returning to Miyako. The Japanese Peach Aviation flight MM211 from Kansai Airport in Osaka, Japan to Ishigaki, has been diverted to Amami.

Taipei, Taiwan Mayor Chiang Wan-an has ordered a level two disaster prevention operation. All train services in Taipei have been suspended after the massive earthquake detected near Hualien. Internet outages are being reported.

The quake is believed to be the biggest in Taiwan since a 7.6 magnitude temblor in September 1999 caused extensive damage and killed 2,400 people. Taiwan lies along the Pacific "Ring of Fire," the line of seismic faults encircling the Pacific Ocean where most of the world's earthquakes occur.

Shocking footage posted on Twitter shows a building collapsing:

Wu Chien Fu, the director of Taipei's Seismology Centre, said in a briefing: "The earthquake is close to land and it's shallow. It's felt all over Taiwan and offshore islands...it's the strongest in 25 years.".

There are no reports of any fatalities so far but at least three people have been injured by falling debris in Hsinchu County. Meanwhile, Capital Taipei reports 250 incidents including two people seriously injured and 11 injured.

Footage from local media shows collapsed and damaged buildings after the massive morning earthquake. Reports are coming in that a 70-year-old building has collapsed with major damage in Keelung City, Taiwan. Landslides have thrown up huge clumps of dirt and dust.

The aftershocks are ongoing and there is a reported landslide on the eastern coast which has turned over roads; schools and offices have been closed; while metro and rail lines have been halted. A magnitude 4.4 earthquake has since been detected 11 km northeast of Hualian.

Taiwan’s Central Weather Bureau is holding a press conference and have revealed the earthquake struck off Taiwan’s eastern coast at 8am local time, at a depth 15.5 km. The entire island felt it.

The Philippines' weather agency has also told people who live in coastal areas to get ready to evacuate if needs be. High tsunami waves are expected in Philippine coastal areas by the Pacific Ocean.

US Tsunami Warning System report
The US Tsunami Warning System reports: "tsunami waves between 0.3 to 1 meters possible for Okinawa, Japan after magnitude 7.5 earthquake". [sic]

The full report from the US Tsunami Warning System reads: An earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 7.5 occurred in Taiwan at 23.58 UTC on Tuesday, April 2, 2024. Based on all available data... hazardous tsunami waves are forecast for some coasts.

"Tsunami threat forecast...updated: tsunami waves reaching 1 to 3 meters above the tide level are possible along some coasts of China... and Taiwan.

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"Tsunami waves reaching 0.3 to 1 meters above the tide level are possible for some coasts of Japan.

"Tsunami waves are forecast to be less than 0.3 meters above the tide level for the coasts of Guam... Indonesia... Northern Marianas... Palau... Philippines... Republic of Korea... Vietnam... and Yap.

"Actual amplitudes at the coast may vary from forecast amplitudes due to uncertainties in the forecast and local features. In particular maximum tsunami amplitudes on atolls and at locations with fringing or barrier reefs will likely be much smaller than the forecast indicates.

"Recommended actions: government agencies responsible for threatened coastal areas should take action to inform and instruct any coastal populations at risk in accordance with their own evaluation... procedures and the level of threat.

"Persons located in threatened coastal areas should stay alert for information and follow instructions from national and local authorities.

"Estimated times of arrival: estimated times of arrival -eta- of the initial tsunami wave or places within threatened regions are given below. Actual arrival times may differ and the initial wave may not be the largest. A tsunami is a series of waves and the time between waves can be five minutes to one hour."