Taiwan Earthquake Update: Train Services Resume, Flights Operating Near Schedule

Taiwan is recovering from the strongest earthquake to hit the island nation in 25 years this morning.

The 7.4-magnitude quake was centered a little less than 100 miles away from Taipei near Hualien County, which is a rural part of the country. It hit the nation just before 8 a.m. on Wednesday, causing buildings to shake to Taipei, landslides to trigger across the country, and rockslides to occur at Taroko National Park, which killed hikers.

Tsunami warnings were issued in Taiwan, southern Japan, and the Philippines, but were all lifted later in the day. 

The earthquake hit near Hualien City on Taiwan’s east coast. 

Photos from closer to the quake’s center show buildings twisted and partially collapsed, roads broken, and more.

According to the latest information from the AP, at least nine people are dead and hundreds more injured. Travel across the country came to a halt shortly after the earthquake hit, but reports suggest that things have started to return to normal across Taiwan, a country that is no stranger to dealing with earthquakes given its location on the Ring of Fire in the Pacific.

The AP is reporting that train stations in the northern suburbs of Taipei were busy by noon on Wednesday and local news outlet United Daily News reported that the country’s high-speed train service was downgraded service for two hours, but is still operating.

According to FlightRadar24 and FlightAware, of 7 p.m. local time, flights are operating close to on schedule at Taoyuan Airport. Both arrivals and departures are operating and the airport only says that the in-town check-in service, which allows guests to check-in at counters in some of Taipei’s main rail stations, is closed.