Earthquake hits off Taiwan coast
Taiwan’s sparsely populated eastern coast of Taitung county is hit by an earthquake of magnitude 4.6 on Sunday, December 24, 2023. Taiwan map stock image/INQUIRER FILES
TAIPEI — An earthquake of magnitude 4.6 struck off Taiwan’s sparsely populated eastern coast on Sunday, the island’s weather bureau said.
But the temblor was barely felt on the land, it added.
The earthquake’s epicenter was in the sea off Taiwan’s Taitung county, at a depth of 16.5 km (10.3 miles), the weather bureau said.
It reported only minor shaking in the county, a largely rural area. The quake was not felt in the capital Taipei.
Taiwan lies near the junction of two tectonic plates and is prone to earthquakes.
Also on Sunday, Two earthquakes were recorded off Surigao del Sur in the Philippines.
The first temblor was at magnitude 5.3 which hit waters near Cagwait town at 12:38 a.m. It was tectonic in origin and had a one-kilometer depth of focus.
READ: 2 earthquakes jolt Surigao del Sur, says Phivolcs
The second quake occurred in Hinatuan town. State seismologists explained that it was an aftershock of the magnitude 7.4 temblor that struck the area last December 2.
Authorities said the magnitude 3.5 quake happened at 3:58 a.m. They added that the earthquake was also tectonic in origin and had a 12-kilometer depth of focus.
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