Walls Rattle, Buildings Shake As Strong Earthquake Hits Taiwan | Videos

Last Updated:December 27, 2025, 23:08 IST

A magnitude 7.0 earthquake struck off Taiwan’s northeastern coast near Yilan, causing strong tremors in Taipei and brief power outages.

The Fire Agency said assessments were underway to determine any damage or casualties. (X)

A powerful magnitude 7.0 earthquake struck off Taiwan’s northeastern coast on Saturday, the island nation’s weather agency said, the second major tremor to hit the island within days.

According to Taiwan’s Central Weather Administration, the epicentre was located about 32 km from Yilan city. The exact coordinates of the epicentre were 24.69°N, 122.08°E, and the focal depth of the earthquake was 72.8 km.

The weather agency attributed the earthquake to an intensity four category, meaning there could be minor damage.

Strong tremors were felt in the capital, Taipei, where buildings swayed following the jolt.

Netizens shared chilling videos of the earthquake on social media showing homes, offices, and public spaces being rattled.

One video captured a chaotic scene inside a house, where desktop was seen shaking violently, while objects were seen tumbling off table. Another clip showed a hanging light fixture swinging from the ceiling of a house, accompanied by an earthquake warning coming from a mobile phone.

Another severely shaky surveillance footage captured the exact moment the earthquake struck. In the video purportedly of a departmental store, desks, computers, chairs, and furniture were seen shaking violently. The tremor even knocked items off shelves at the store.

Another footage showed electric signboards hung at railway stations swaying violently after the impact of the earthquake. Taiwan Railway said it suspended four trains operating in Yilan, affecting more than 270 passengers. Taipei’s metro lines were running at reduced speed for around 20 minutes until no abnormalities were reported in the stations and tracks, authorities said.

The Fire Agency said assessments were underway to determine any damage or casualties, news agency Reuters reported, adding that no immediate reports of major destruction were available.

According to the Taiwan Power Company, more than 3,000 homes in Yilan briefly lost power following strong tremors.

This was the second major earthquake to hit the island this week. Earlier on Wednesday, an earthquake of 6.1 magnitude struck Taiwan’s southeastern coastal county of Taitung. That quake even shook buildings in Taipei. The depth of the quake was about 11.9 km.

Taiwan lies near the junction of two tectonic plates and is prone to earthquakes. In April 2024, Taiwan was shaken by a major earthquake of magnitude 7.4, which killed at least 17 people. A quake in southern Taiwan in 2016 claimed more than 100 lives, while a more powerful 7.3-magnitude earthquake in 1999 killed over 2,000 people.

(With inputs from agencies)

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