Earthquakes of magnitude 3-4 could hit Chiayi in next 2 weeks: CWA

Taipei, April 14 (CNA) More earthquakes of magnitude 3-4 could hit Chiayi over the next one to two weeks, with at least 10 quakes shaking the southern Taiwan county since Friday, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said Sunday.

Lee I-ting (李伊婷), a division chief at the CWA's Seismological Center, said at a press briefing Sunday morning that the magnitude 7.2 earthquake that struck off eastern Taiwan on April 3 resulted in stress adjustments in the underground fault zones in Chiayi.

This may have triggered blind faults and unknown faults in western Taiwan to release energy, leading to frequent temblors occurring around the Chiayi area, Lee said, noting that the center has recorded 21 earthquakes within a 10-kilometer radius of Chiayi County's Budai Township since April 1.

Of these, eight were concentrated within seven hours between late Friday night to early Saturday morning. Another magnitude 4.2 temblor with its epicenter in Chiayi County's Yijhu Township struck at 2:39 a.m. Sunday morning, according to CWA data.

The CWA has assessed that these earthquakes were likely not connected to the Meishan Fault, as it is located relatively far from Budai Township, Lee said.

However, as Taiwan is an earthquake-prone area, the center reminded people to remain prepared for earthquakes at all times.