A magnitude 5.1 earthquake struck Taiwan on Thursday, December 18, with no immediate reports of casualties or damage, according to authorities and international media.
Reuters reported that the earthquake hit approximately 18 kilometers from Hualien city in eastern Taiwan. The tremor caused buildings in the capital, Taipei, to sway briefly, prompting concern among residents, though no injuries or structural damage were immediately reported.
Taiwan’s weather administration said the earthquake originated at a depth of 31.6 kilometers beneath the Earth’s surface.
Taiwan, an island nation located near the junction of two tectonic plates, is highly prone to seismic activity. Earthquakes of varying intensity are frequent across the country.
In 2016, a powerful earthquake in southern Taiwan claimed the lives of more than 100 people. Earlier, a devastating magnitude 7.3 earthquake struck the island in 1999, killing more than 2,000 people and causing widespread destruction.
