6.1 Quake Hits Taiwan's Coastal City Of Haulien

Videos: M6.1 earthquake jolts Taiwan, causing highrises in Taipei to sway violently and school children to flee their classrooms

A 6.1-magnitude earthquake has jolted Hualien, Taiwan, causing highrises in Taipei to sway violently and school children to flee their classrooms in eastern Yilan county on April 18, 2019 (UTC). The same city was hit by a magnitude 6.4 earthquake last year that killed 17 people.

A magnitude 6.1 earthquake has struck Taiwan’s coastal city of Hualien, shaking buildings and temporarily suspending subway services in the capital Taipei, but there were no immediate reports of damage or casualties.

TAIWAN EARTHQUAKE: Lights swaying and flickering in this office in Hualien as a 6.1-magnitude quake rattled the city https://t.co/N8BO77J2Mc pic.twitter.com/CFS2ODFOh7

— CNA (@ChannelNewsAsia) April 18, 2019

Local television footage showed school children being evacuated from buildings, while a weather bureau official said Thursday’s quake was the largest to hit the island so far this year.

A 6.4-magnitude earthquake hits coastal city Hualian of Taiwan at 0301 GMT today – strong tremors were felt in Fujian province southeast China – May our brothers and sisters in Taiwan be safe and God bless pic.twitter.com/WXg55lJCGw

— Eva Zheng 郑怡斌 عائشة (@evazhengll) April 18, 2019

It struck at 1:01pm local time (05:01 GMT) at a depth of 18km.

Map of felt reports received so far following the #earthquake M6.1 in Taiwan 45 min ago pic.twitter.com/Mvl139Mbcp

The Japan Meteorological Agency warned that people living near the coast could notice some effects on sea levels, but said there would be no tsunami.

RT Echinanews "#Latest on Taiwan earthquake: 
– Tremor felt in Fujian and Zhejiang provinces 
– Taiwan's high-speed rail shut down for at least 20 min 
– People reportedly trapped in Taiwan's Hualien County 
– Two tourists reportedly injured by falli… pic.twitter.com/lleBww6kg3"

— 许 (@fuqianggu) April 18, 2019