Record surge in strong earthquakes hitting Taiwan in 2024: CWA

Taipei, Dec. 10 (CNA) Taiwan has experienced 42 earthquakes of magnitude 5.5 or higher so far in 2024, already the highest annual count since modern record-keeping began in 1995, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said Tuesday.

The surge in stronger tremors is primarily attributed to significant aftershocks from the magnitude 7.2 earthquake in Hualien on April 3, which has continued to produce aftershocks, several exceeding magnitude 5.5.

According to Wu Chien-fu (吳健富), director of CWA's Seismological Center, these aftershocks are still ongoing and require continued monitoring.

The Hualien earthquake is the second-largest in Taiwan since the 1999 Nantou quake, which measured 7.3 in magnitude, though the two events differ in nature, Wu said.

The 1999 earthquake generated smaller aftershocks that lasted for two to three years, while the Hualien earthquake's aftershocks have been larger in magnitude.

CWA data showed that Taiwan usually records about 30 earthquakes between magnitudes 5-6 each year.

Meanwhile, the CWA pointed out that during the one-year period starting Nov. 14, 2023, Hualien County topped the country with 64 national-level earthquake alerts.

The eastern Taiwan county was followed by the counties of Yilan (23), Changhua (9), Yunlin (7) and Chiayi (7), according to the CWA.

National alerts are triggered when estimated earthquake magnitudes reach 5, with their intensity reaching level 4 or higher.

On Sept. 1, 2024, CWA introduced an additional category of thresholds for alerts with the new standards set at magnitude 6.5 and intensity level 3.