On September 17th at 9:41 pm, a powerful earthquake measuring 6.5 on the Richter scale occurred in Taitung County, Taiwan. The earthquake monitoring and reporting center of the Taiwan Meteorological Department reports that this marks the seventh strong earthquake of magnitude 6 or higher in Taiwan this year. This is a significant increase when compared to the typical annual average of 2-3 earthquakes of this magnitude.
Hualien County was hit by a powerful earthquake measuring 6.9 on the Richter scale. As a result of the quake, the rain canopy at the Taiwan Railway Station collapsed and caused a train to tilt.
On the 18th, at 14:44, a powerful 6.9-magnitude earthquake struck Hualien County in Taiwan. Reports from various media outlets in Taiwan have indicated that Dongli Station was severely affected by the quake. The platform canopy collapsed, striking a train and causing it to derail. Moreover, three carriages in the station became tilted as a result. Thankfully, approximately 20 passengers had managed to safely exit these carriages and reached the platform. The Taiwan Railway Bureau promptly announced the interruption of the single-line section between Dongli and Dongzhu, however, efforts are underway to restore connectivity by initiating highway connections. Fortunately, there have been no reported injuries at this time, including the 20 passengers who safely exited the train before the incident occurred.
Certain areas are experiencing power and water outages, causing some individuals to be stuck in elevators.
Currently, there is no widespread disaster notification in Tainan, but certain areas are experiencing blackouts, water outages, and water pipe ruptures. The responsible authorities, such as the Taipower Company and water supply companies, have dispatched personnel to address these issues. One notable incident occurred at 9:57 after the earthquake near the entrance of Lane 17, Lane 446, Anping Road, Anping District, Tainan. This event resulted in a sudden power outage affecting 76 houses. To investigate the cause, the Taiwan Radio South District Business Office promptly dispatched personnel to handle the situation. They will assess whether this power outage is indeed related to the earthquake.
In Kaohsiung City, a series of unfortunate incidents have occurred recently. People have been trapped in elevators, causing distress and inconvenience. Additionally, a rupture in the water pipes has occurred before the Zhongzheng pre-school on dachang Road in Sanmin District. This has led to water shortage in Qijin District after the earthquake struck. To make matters worse, certain areas have also experienced power outages. Another issue that has surfaced is the damage caused to department store restaurants and shops. Goods have fallen and tables and chairs have collapsed, creating a chaotic and unsafe environment. These incidents have greatly affected the daily lives of the residents and efforts are underway to resolve the situation and restore normalcy.
Hualien's historic "Tujiao House" experienced the unfortunate collapse of its 70-year-old wall.
The earthquake that jolted close to the epicenter of Hualien Fuli Township had a magnitude of 5, causing intense shaking throughout the region. There are rumors circulating that the wall of the 70-year-old "Tujiao House" crumbled under the force of the tremors. Additionally, there were reported sightings of two leaning power poles along Guangfu Road in the neighboring Yuli Town, but fortunately, no one sustained injuries from the incident.
Reports have surfaced indicating that the "Tujiao House" located along Heping Street in Fuli Village, Fuli Township, is an aged property, as its owner recently heard a loud "thud" and went outside to investigate, only to discover that the wall had collapsed. Thankfully, there were no casualties. Furthermore, there are concerns over the movement of telephone poles in Yuli Town, as well as cracks that have formed in the ground. Local fire brigades are now patrolling the area to ensure the safety of residents and to identify any other potential hazards.
MRT Downlift Patrol passengers are affected
The Taichung MRT Company's line control center swiftly responded to the earthquake by checking the MRT Green Line magazine system, and found no cause for alarm. The power system remained stable without any fluctuations, and the speed was reduced as a precautionary measure to 40 kilometers per hour. Fortunately, no issues were detected, and the MRT services resumed normal operations without any disruptions.
According to Taoyuan MRT Company, the earthquake detection system at the airport MRT reported a maximum seismic intensity of 3. In response, the Taojie Travel Control Center immediately initiated standard operating procedures for a 3-magnitude earthquake. The trains were instructed to stop and a 2-minute standby period was initiated. After confirming that there were no abnormalities, the trains were allowed to resume operation at a reduced speed of 40 kilometers per hour.
Tao Jie, a representative of the company, explained that a track patrol operation was conducted at 10:11 p.m. on the 17th and it was confirmed that the number, track, and power system were all functioning normally. The distance between trains was gradually adjusted back to normal and it was estimated that a total of 12 trains with approximately 1,100 passengers were affected by the earthquake. Despite the temporary disruption, the situation was handled promptly and effectively by the Taoyuan MRT Company.