Tuesday quake likely December magnitude 7.0 aftershock: CWA

Taipei, Feb. 24 (CNA) Tuesday's magnitude 5.6 earthquake in northeastern Taiwan was probably an aftershock of December's magnitude 7.0 quake, with further aftershocks possible but likely minor, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said.

The magnitude 5.6 earthquake struck off the coast of northeastern Taiwan at 12:37 p.m. Tuesday, with its epicenter located about 16.9 kilometers east-southeast of Yilan County Hall at a depth of 66.8 kilometers, according to the CWA.

The tremor was probably an aftershock of the magnitude 7.0 quake on Dec. 27, given the two events' similar locations and the two-month interval consistent with an aftershock sequence, CWA Seismological Center Director Wu Chien-fu (吳健富) told CNA.

The December earthquake struck at 11:05 p.m., with its epicenter located at sea about 32.3 kilometers east of Yilan County Hall at a depth of 72.8 kilometers.

Wu added that further aftershocks cannot be ruled out, though their surface impact would be limited given the main quake's considerable depth.

(By Chang Hsiung-feng and Shih Hsiu-chuan)

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