6.4 Magnitude Earthquake Strikes Southern Taiwan Near Chiayi, TSMC Evacuates Factories

A 6.4 magnitude earthquake struck southern Taiwan today, with its epicenter near the city of Chiayi, according to the island’s weather bureau. The tremor caused significant shaking in the capital, Taipei, and led to evacuations at Taiwan’s Tainan Science Park, which houses major tech companies, including chipmaker TSMC.

TSMC confirmed that it had evacuated staff from its factories in central and southern Taiwan as a precautionary measure. The earthquake had a depth of 9.4 km (6 miles), and rescue efforts are underway in the city of Tainan, where three people were reported trapped in a damaged building.

Taiwan, located near the junction of two tectonic plates, is prone to earthquakes, with devastating past events such as the 1999 Chi-Chi earthquake that killed over 2,000 people. In 2016, a 7.2 magnitude quake in Hualien killed 13. Taiwan’s history of earthquakes, including the 1935 Hsinchu-Taichung earthquake, has led to significant improvements in disaster preparedness and building codes.

As the island continues to cope with its seismic risk, the latest quake serves as a reminder of the importance of resilience and preparedness in the face of natural disasters.

News Source : “Information for this article was gathered from a variety of reliable news outlets.”