A 7.7-magnitude earthquake recently rocked eastern Taiwan, causing the collapse of at least 26 buildings and issuing tsunami warnings in both Taiwan and Japan
This earthquake is considered the most powerful to hit Taiwan in the last 25 years, highlighting the island's high seismic activity
Taiwan's susceptibility to earthquakes is largely due to its position on the Pacific-rim earthquake belt, an area with intense tectonic activity
The convergence of the Eurasian and Philippine Sea Plates near Taiwan contributes significantly to its earthquake activity
Taiwan is located in the Pacific Ring of Fire, known for its high frequency of earthquakes, most of which occur off the east coast, typically causing less damage
The island's history with earthquakes is long and devastating, with 91 major earthquakes recorded between 1901 and 2000, including a catastrophic event in 1999 that claimed 2,415 lives
Taiwan's geography and climate also make it prone to other natural disasters, such as typhoons, floods, and landslides, compounding the risks from earthquakes
In response to the earthquakes, Taiwan has developed infrastructures like earthquake-resistant buildings & an automatic safety system for High Speed Rail to halt trains during significant earthquakes
The monitoring and reporting of earthquakes in Taiwan are primarily the responsibility of the Central Weather Bureau and the United States Geological Survey, ensuring timely alerts and measures