List of earthquakes in Taiwan
Encyclopedia
This list of earthquakes in Taiwan charts significant earthquakes which have affected the island of Taiwan
.
Taiwan is in a seismically active zone, on the Pacific
Ring of Fire
, and at the western edge of the Philippine Sea Plate. Geologists have identified 42 active faults on the island, but most of the earthquakes detected in Taiwan are due to the convergence of the Philippine Sea plate and the Eurasian Plate
to the east of the island. Most of the earthquakes registered in Taiwan actually occur off the east coast and cause little damage, whereas smaller quakes beneath the island itself have historically proven more destructive. The first recorded earthquake in Taiwan was in 1624, the founding year of Dutch Formosa. Between 1901 and the year 2000 there were 91 major earthquakes in Taiwan, 48 of them resulting in loss of life. The most recent major earthquake was the 921 Earthquake
, which struck on September 21, 1999, and claimed 2,415 lives.
Many modern buildings in Taiwan are constructed with earthquake safety in mind, including Taipei 101
, which had to cope with the dual challenges of being flexible enough to withstand earthquakes, yet rigid enough to resist wind shear. The High Speed Rail
system incorporates an automatic safety device to safely bring all trains to a halt when a significant earthquake is detected. Nevertheless, poor construction standards have been blamed for casualties in a number of major earthquakes, including the 1906 Meishan earthquake
and the 921 Earthquake
. Inside Taiwan the Central Weather Bureau
is the organisation responsible for monitoring and reporting on earthquakes. Large earthquakes are also assessed by the United States Geological Survey
. Scientific studies of the seismology of the island started in the Japanese era
, when the first seismograph was installed in Taipei by Fusakichi Omori
's company.
Significant earthquakes are listed here from 1736 to the present. Starting with the Japanese era
in 1895 there were major improvements in detection technology, allowing more detailed gathering of data.
The earthquakes are colour-coded according to magnitude and casualties.
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
.
Taiwan is in a seismically active zone, on the Pacific
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
Ring of Fire
Ring of Fire
-Music:* Ring of Fire, a Johnny Cash song, written by his wife, June** Ring of Fire: The Best of Johnny Cash, an album by Johnny Cash** Ring of Fire , a musical theater production on the life of Johnny Cash...
, and at the western edge of the Philippine Sea Plate. Geologists have identified 42 active faults on the island, but most of the earthquakes detected in Taiwan are due to the convergence of the Philippine Sea plate and the Eurasian Plate
Eurasian Plate
The Eurasian Plate is a tectonic plate which includes most of the continent of Eurasia , with the notable exceptions of the Indian subcontinent, the Arabian subcontinent, and the area east of the Chersky Range in East Siberia...
to the east of the island. Most of the earthquakes registered in Taiwan actually occur off the east coast and cause little damage, whereas smaller quakes beneath the island itself have historically proven more destructive. The first recorded earthquake in Taiwan was in 1624, the founding year of Dutch Formosa. Between 1901 and the year 2000 there were 91 major earthquakes in Taiwan, 48 of them resulting in loss of life. The most recent major earthquake was the 921 Earthquake
921 earthquake
The 921 earthquake , also known as Jiji earthquake , was a 7.3 Ms or 7.6 Mw earthquake which occurred at 1:47:12 am local time in Jiji , Nantou County, Taiwan. 2,415 people were killed, 11,305 injured, and NT$300 billion worth of damage was done...
, which struck on September 21, 1999, and claimed 2,415 lives.
Many modern buildings in Taiwan are constructed with earthquake safety in mind, including Taipei 101
Taipei 101
Taipei 101 , formerly known as the Taipei World Financial Center, is a landmark skyscraper located in Xinyi District, Taipei, Taiwan. The building ranked officially as the world's tallest from 2004 until the opening of the Burj Khalifa in Dubai in 2010...
, which had to cope with the dual challenges of being flexible enough to withstand earthquakes, yet rigid enough to resist wind shear. The High Speed Rail
Taiwan High Speed Rail
Taiwan High Speed Rail is a high-speed rail line that runs approximately along the west coast of the Republic of China from the national capital of Taipei to the southern city of Kaohsiung...
system incorporates an automatic safety device to safely bring all trains to a halt when a significant earthquake is detected. Nevertheless, poor construction standards have been blamed for casualties in a number of major earthquakes, including the 1906 Meishan earthquake
1906 Meishan earthquake
The 1906 Meishan earthquake was a magnitude 7.1 earthquake which occurred on March 17, 1906 and was centred on Meishan, Chiayi, Jiayi County, Taiwan...
and the 921 Earthquake
921 earthquake
The 921 earthquake , also known as Jiji earthquake , was a 7.3 Ms or 7.6 Mw earthquake which occurred at 1:47:12 am local time in Jiji , Nantou County, Taiwan. 2,415 people were killed, 11,305 injured, and NT$300 billion worth of damage was done...
. Inside Taiwan the Central Weather Bureau
Central Weather Bureau
The Central Weather Bureau is the government meteorological research and forecasting institution of the Republic of China . In addition to meteorology, the Central Weather Bureau also makes astronomical observations, reports on sea conditions, and conducts research into seismology and provides...
is the organisation responsible for monitoring and reporting on earthquakes. Large earthquakes are also assessed by the United States Geological Survey
United States Geological Survey
The United States Geological Survey is a scientific agency of the United States government. The scientists of the USGS study the landscape of the United States, its natural resources, and the natural hazards that threaten it. The organization has four major science disciplines, concerning biology,...
. Scientific studies of the seismology of the island started in the Japanese era
Taiwan under Japanese rule
Between 1895 and 1945, Taiwan was a dependency of the Empire of Japan. The expansion into Taiwan was a part of Imperial Japan's general policy of southward expansion during the late 19th century....
, when the first seismograph was installed in Taipei by Fusakichi Omori
Fusakichi Omori
was a pioneer Japanese seismologist, second chairman of seismology at the Imperial University of Tokyo and president of the Japanese Imperial Earthquake Investigation Committee.-Education:...
's company.
List of earthquakes
| Magnitude | 5.5–5.9 | 6.0–6.4 | 6.5–6.9 | 7.0–7.4 | 7.5–7.9 | 8.0+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deaths | 1–10 | 11–50 | 51–100 | 101–500 | 501–1,000 | 1,001+ |
Significant earthquakes are listed here from 1736 to the present. Starting with the Japanese era
Taiwan under Japanese rule
Between 1895 and 1945, Taiwan was a dependency of the Empire of Japan. The expansion into Taiwan was a part of Imperial Japan's general policy of southward expansion during the late 19th century....
in 1895 there were major improvements in detection technology, allowing more detailed gathering of data.
The earthquakes are colour-coded according to magnitude and casualties.
| Date (UTC+8) |
Time (UTC+8) |
Area affected | Latitude Latitude In geography, the latitude of a location on the Earth is the angular distance of that location south or north of the Equator. The latitude is an angle, and is usually measured in degrees . The equator has a latitude of 0°, the North pole has a latitude of 90° north , and the South pole has a... (°N) |
Longitude Longitude Longitude is a geographic coordinate that specifies the east-west position of a point on the Earth's surface. It is an angular measurement, usually expressed in degrees, minutes and seconds, and denoted by the Greek letter lambda .... (°E) |
Depth (km) |
Magnitude (ML） |
Dead | Houses destroyed |
Main article |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January 30, 1736 | Tainan Tainan County Tainan County was located in southern Taiwan. The name "Tainan" means "Southern Taiwan". Formerly a county of the Republic of China , Tainan County was merged with Tainan City at the end of 2010 to form a single special municipality.... |
23.1 | 120.5 | - | ~6.5 | 372 | 698 | ||
| August 9, 1792 | Chiayi Chiayi County Chiayi County is a county in southwestern Taiwan surrounding but not including Chiayi City. Its historical name in Taiwanese Hokkien derives from Tsirosen in the Formosan languages... , Changhua Changhua County Changhua County is the smallest county in Taiwan located on the westside of Taiwan. It is officially governed as a county of the Republic of China .-Urban townships:# Beidou Township # Erlin Township... , Yunlin Yunlin County Yunlin County is a county in the western part of Taiwan, the Republic of China. Yunlin is located to the right of the Taiwan Strait, the east of Nantou County and sharing a border with Changhua County divided by the Zhuoshui River. Yunlin is one of the counties of Taiwan that is part of the Chianan... |
23.6 | 120.5 | - | ~7.1 | 617 | 24,621 | ||
| March 17, 1811 | From Chiayi northwards | 23.8 | 121.8 | - | ~7.5 | 21 | 41 | ||
| October 13–14, 1815 | From Chiayi northwards | 24.0 | 121.7 | - | ~7.7 | 113 | 243 | ||
| March 4, 1845 | Chiayi, Changhua, Taichung Taichung County Taichung County was a county in central Taiwan, the Republic of China, that surrounded but did not include Taichung City. The name Taichung means "central Taiwan"... |
24.1 | 120.7 | - | ~6.0 | 381 | 4220 | ||
| December 3, 1848 | Tainan, Changhua, Chiayi | 24.1 | 120.5 | - | ~7.1 | 1,030 | 13,993 | ||
| June 7, 1862 | Tainan, Chiayi, Changhua | 23.2 | 120.2 | - | ~7.0 | over 500 | over 500 | ||
| November 6, 1865 | Taipei Taipei Taipei City is the capital of the Republic of China and the central city of the largest metropolitan area of Taiwan. Situated at the northern tip of the island, Taipei is located on the Tamsui River, and is about 25 km southwest of Keelung, its port on the Pacific Ocean... , Keelung Keelung Keelung City is a major port city situated in the northeastern part of Taiwan. It borders New Taipei and forms the Taipei–Keelung metropolitan area, along with the Taipei and New Taipei. Nicknamed the Rainy Port for its frequent rain and maritime role, the city is Taiwan's second largest seaport... |
24.9 | 121.6 | - | ~6.0 | "many" | |||
| December 18, 1867 | Taipei, Keelung, Hsinchu Hsinchu County Hsinchu County is a county in north-western Taiwan. The population of the county is mainly Hakka; there is a Taiwanese aboriginal minority in the southeastern part of the county. Zhubei is the capital of Hsinchu, where the government office and county office is located... |
25.3 | 121.7 | - | ~7.0 | hundreds | |||
| February 18, 1881 | Taipei, Hsinchu, Miaoli Miaoli County Miaoli County is a county in western Taiwan. The name Miaoli was coined using two Hakka words, cat and raccoon dog , which phonetically approximate Pali , a community of Taokas people... |
24.6 | 120.7 | - | ~6.2 | 11 | 210 | ||
| December 9, 1882 | Island-wide | 23.0 | 121.4 | - | ~7.5 | 10 | 40 | ||
| March 15, 1897 | Yilan, Taipei | - | - | - | - | 56 | 50 | ||
| April 24, 1904 | 14:39 | Chiayi | 23.5 | 120.3 | - | 6.1 | 3 | 66 | |
| November 6, 1904 | 04:25 | Chiayi | 23.6 | 120.3 | 7 | 6.1 | 145 | 661 | 1904 Douliu earthquake 1904 Douliu earthquake The 1904 Douliu earthquake was a magnitude 6.1 earthquake which struck central Taiwan at 04:25 on November 6, 1904. The quake caused widespread damage and killed 145 people, making it the fifth deadliest earthquake of the 20th century in Taiwan.... |
| March 17, 1906 | 06:43 | Chiayi | 23.6 | 120.5 | 6 | 7.1 | 1,258 | 6,769 | 1906 Meishan earthquake 1906 Meishan earthquake The 1906 Meishan earthquake was a magnitude 7.1 earthquake which occurred on March 17, 1906 and was centred on Meishan, Chiayi, Jiayi County, Taiwan... |
| April 14, 1906 | 03:18 | Tainan | 23.4 | 120.4 | 20 | 6.6 | 15 | 1,794 | |
| January 11, 1908 | 11:35 | Hualien Hualien County Hualien County is the largest county in Taiwan and is located on the mountainous eastern coast of Taiwan. It contains the island's largest port. It is the starting point of the Hualien-Taitung Line and the terminal point of North-Link Line of TRA... |
23.7 | 121.4 | 10 | 7.3 | 2 | 3 | |
| April 15, 1909 | 03:54 | Taipei | 23.7 | 121.5 | 80 | 7.3 | 9 | 122 | |
| April 12, 1910 | 08:22 | Keelung | 25.1 | 122.9 | 200 | 8.3 | 13 | ||
| August 28, 1916 | 15:27 | Central Taiwan | 24.0 | 121.0 | 45 | 6.8 | 16 | 614 | 1916-17 Nantou earthquakes 1916-17 Nantou earthquakes The 1916–17 Nantou earthquakes were a series of earthquakes which affected central Taiwan in 1916 and 1917, causing heavy damage in sparsely populated Nantou County and claiming 71 lives... |
| November 15, 1916 | 06:31 | Central Taiwan | 24.1 | 120.9 | 3 | 6.2 | 1 | 97 | |
| January 5, 1917 | 00:55 | Central Taiwan | 24.0 | 121.0 | shallow | 6.2 | 54 | 130 | |
| January 7, 1917 | 02:08 | Central Taiwan | 23.9 | 120.9 | shallow | 5.5 | 187 | ||
| June 5, 1920 | 12:21 | Hualien | 24.6 | 121.9 | 20 | 8.3 | 5 | 273 | |
| September 2, 1922 | 03:16 | Hualien | 24.5 | 122 | 20 | 7.6 | 5 | 14 | |
| October 15, 1922 | 07:47 | Hualien | 24.6 | 122.3 | 20 | 5.9 | 6 | ||
| December 2, 1922 | 11:46 | Hualien | 24.6 | 122.0 | 6.0 | 1 | 1 | ||
| August 25, 1927 | 02:09 | Tainan | 23.3 | 120.3 | 20 | 6.5 | 11 | 214 | |
| December 8, 1930 | 16:01 | Tainan | 23.3 | 120.4 | 20 | 6.1 | 4 | 49 | |
| April 21, 1935 | 06:02 | Hsinchu, Taichung | 24.4 | 120.8 | 5 | 7.1 | 3,276 | 17,907 | 1935 Hsinchu-Taichung earthquake 1935 Hsinchu-Taichung earthquake The 1935 Hsinchu-Taichung earthquake was a magnitude 7.1 earthquake which occurred on April 21, 1935, with its epicentre in Sanyi , Miaoli County, Taiwan. It was the deadliest earthquake in Taiwan's recorded history, claiming 3,276 lives and causing extensive damage... |
| July 17, 1935 | 00:19 | Hsinchu, Taichung | 24.6 | 120.7 | 30 | 6.2 | 44 | 1,734 | |
| December 17, 1941 | 03:19 | Chiayi | 23.4 | 120.5 | 12 | 7.1 | 358 | 4,520 | 1941 Zhongpu earthquake 1941 Zhongpu earthquake The 1941 Chungpu earthquake was a magnitude 7.1 earthquake which occurred on December 17, 1941 and was centred on the town of Chungpu, Taiwan. It was the fourth-deadliest earthquake of the 20th century in Taiwan, claiming 358 lives.-Technical data:... |
| October 23, 1943 | 00:01 | Hualien | 23.8 | 121.5 | 5 | 6.2 | 1 | 1 | |
| December 2, 1943 | 13:09 | Taitung Taitung County Taitung County is a county in eastern Taiwan. The name means "Eastern Taiwan". Taitung County is also known as 後山 by many of the locals, meaning behind the mountains or the back mountains. Taitung is officially administered as a county of Taiwan, Republic of China.Taitung runs along the south east... |
22.5 | 121.5 | 40 | 6.1 | 3 | 139 | |
| December 5, 1946 | 06:47 | Tainan | 23.1 | 120.3 | 5 | 6.1 | 74 | 1,954 | 1946 Xinhua earthquake |
| October 22, 1951 | 05:34 | Hualien | 23.9 | 121.7 | 4 | 7.3 | 68 | 1951 East Rift Valley earthquakes 1951 East Rift Valley earthquakes The 1951 East Rift Valley earthquakes were a series of 735 earthquakes which struck eastern Taiwan from October 22, 1951 to December 5, 1951, four of which registered over 7 on the Richter Scale, the largest of those being two magnitude 7.3 quakes on October 22 and November 25... |
|
| November 25, 1951 | 02:50 | Hualien | 23.3 | 121.3 | 7.3 | 17 | |||
| February 24, 1957 | 04:26 | Hualien | 23.8 | 121.8 | 30 | 7.3 | 11 | 44 | |
| October 20, 1957 | 02:28 | Hualien | 23.7 | 121.5 | 10 | 6.6 | 4 | ||
| April 27, 1959 | 04:41 | Northeast Taiwan | 24.1 | 123.0 | 150 | 7.7 | 1 | 9 | |
| August 15, 1959 | 16:57 | Pingtung Pingtung County Pingtung County is a county in Southern Taiwan. Pingtung County is officially administered as a county of the Republic of China . The oldest national park in Taiwan, Kenting National Park, was established in Pingtung County in 1984... |
21.7 | 121.3 | 20 | 7.1 | 16 | 1,214 | 1959 Hengchun earthquake 1959 Hengchun earthquake The 1959 Hengchun earthquake was a magnitude 7.1 earthquake which struck the southern tip of Taiwan on August 15, 1959. It was the tenth deadliest earthquake in twentieth century Taiwan, killing 16 or 17 people.-Technical details:... |
| February 13, 1963 | 16:50 | Yilan | 24.4 | 122.1 | 47 | 7.3 | 3 | 6 | 1963 Su-ao earthquake 1963 Su-ao earthquake The 1963 Su-ao earthquake occurred on February 13, 1963 at 16:50 local time . The epicenter was located off the coast of Taiwan, near Su-ao, Yilan County. It had a magnitude of Mw 7.3. Three people were reported dead. A landslide occurred in the Su-ao-Hualien highway. The earthquake showed a weakly... |
| March 4, 1963 | 21:38 | Yilan | 24.6 | 121.1 | 5 | 6.4 | 1 | ||
| January 18, 1964 | 20:04 | Chiayi, Tainan | 23.2 | 120.6 | 18 | 6.3 | 106 | 10,924 | 1964 Baihe Earthquake 1964 Baihe earthquake The 1964 Baihe earthquake , also known as the Great Baihe earthquake, was a deadly earthquake measured at 6.3 ML, occurred at 20:04 CST on 18 January 1964 in Baihe Township of Tainan County , Taiwan. The hypocenter of the earthquake was 20 kilometers deep... |
| March 13, 1966 | 00:31 | Hualien | 24.2 | 122.7 | 42 | 7.8 | 4 | 24 | |
| October 25, 1967 | 08:59 | Yilan | 24.4 | 122.1 | 20 | 6.1 | 2 | 21 | |
| January 25, 1972 | 10:07 | Taitung | 22.5 | 122.3 | 33 | 7.3 | 1 | 5 | |
| April 24, 1972 | 17:57 | Hualien | 23.5 | 121.4 | 15 | 6.9 | 5 | 50 | 1972 Ruisui earthquake 1972 Ruisui earthquake The 1972 Ruisui earthquake, or the 1972 Juisui earthquake, occurred on April 24, 1972 at 09:57 UTC . The magnitude of this earthquake was given as Ms 7.2 by USGS and ML 6.9 by the Central Weather Bureau of Taiwan. The epicenter was located near Ruisui , Hualian, Taiwan. The intensity was shindo 4... |
| December 13, 1978 | 19:23 | Hualien | 23.3 | 121.6 | 4 | 6.8 | 2 | ||
| January 23, 1982 | 22:11 | Yilan, Hualien | 24.0 | 121.6 | 3 | 6.5 | 1 | ||
| May 20, 1986 | 13:25 | Hualien | 24.1 | 121.6 | 16 | 6.2 | 1 | ||
| November 15, 1986 | 05:20 | Hualien | 24.0 | 121.8 | 15 | 6.8 | 13 | 37 | |
| December 13, 1990 | 11:01 | Hualien | 23.9 | 121.5 | 3 | 6.5 | 2 | 3 | |
| June 5, 1994 | 09:09 | Yilan, Hualien | 24.4 | 121.8 | 5.3 | 6.2 | 1 | 1 | |
| September 16, 1994 | 14:20 | Taiwan Strait | 22.5 | 118.7 | 13 | 6.8 | 0 | 0 | 1994 Taiwan Strait earthquake 1994 Taiwan Strait earthquake The 1994 Taiwan Strait earthquake occurred on September 16, 1994 at 14:20 local time in the southern Taiwan Strait. The magnitude of this earthquake was given as Mw 6.8 by USGS and Ms 7.3 by Fujian Seismological Bureau. The epicenter was located about 150 to 180 km from the coast of the border of... |
| February 23, 1995 | 23:13 | Hualien | 24.2 | 121.7 | 21.7 | 5.8 | 2 | ||
| June 25, 1995 | 14:59 | Yilan, Hualien | 24.6 | 121.7 | 40 | 6.5 | 1 | 6 | |
| July 17, 1998 | 12:51 | Nantou | 23.5 | 120.7 | 3 | 6.2 | 5 | ||
| September 21, 1999 | 01:47 | Island-wide | 23.9 | 120.8 | 8 | 7.3 | 2,413 | 921 Earthquake 921 earthquake The 921 earthquake , also known as Jiji earthquake , was a 7.3 Ms or 7.6 Mw earthquake which occurred at 1:47:12 am local time in Jiji , Nantou County, Taiwan. 2,415 people were killed, 11,305 injured, and NT$300 billion worth of damage was done... |
|
| May 17, 2000 | 11:25 | Nantou | 24.2 | 121.1 | 3 | 5.3 | 3 | ||
| June 11, 2000 | 02:23 | Nantou | 23.9 | 121.1 | 10.2 | 6.7 | 2 | ||
| March 31, 2002 | 14:52 | Hualien, Nantou | 24.2 | 122.1 | 9.6 | 6.8 | 5 | 6 | |
| May 15, 2002 | 11:46 | Yilan, Hualien | 24.6 | 121.9 | 5 | 6.2 | 1 | ||
| May 1, 2004 | 12:38 | Hualien | 24.1 | 121.95 | 17.8 | 5.8 | 2 | ||
| December 26, 2006 | 20:26 | Pingtung | 21.69 | 120.56 | 44.1 | 7.0 | 2 | 3 | 2006 Hengchun Earthquake 2006 Hengchun earthquake The 2006 Hengchun earthquake occurred on Tuesday December 26, 2006 at 12:25 UTC , with an epicenter off the southwest coast of Taiwan, approximately 22.8 km west southwest of Hengchun, Pingtung County, Taiwan, with an exact hypocenter 21.9 km deep in the Luzon Strait , which connects the... |
| 20:26 | 21.97 | 120.42 | 50.2 | 7.0 | |||||
| March 4, 2010 | 00:18 | Kaohsiung | 22.903 | 120.823 | 5 | 6.4 | 0 | 2010 Kaohsiung earthquake 2010 Kaohsiung earthquake The 2010 Kaohsiung Earthquake measuring 6.4 ML occurred on Thursday, March 4, 2010 at 8:20 a.m. local time. The epicenter was located in the mountainous area of Kaohsiung County of the southwestern Taiwan. It was the most powerful earthquake in Kaohsiung since 1900... |
|
- Sources:http://scman.cwb.gov.tw/eqv5/damage_list/1900befor.htm, http://scman.cwb.gov.tw/eqv5/damage_list/1900after.htm, http://scman.cwb.gov.tw/eqv5/damage_list/2000after.htm http://scman.cwb.gov.tw/eqv5/research/21vol/MOTC-CWB-87-E-11.pdf Central Weather BureauCentral Weather BureauThe Central Weather Bureau is the government meteorological research and forecasting institution of the Republic of China . In addition to meteorology, the Central Weather Bureau also makes astronomical observations, reports on sea conditions, and conducts research into seismology and provides...
External links
- Most recent earthquakes in Taiwan (English): Central Weather Bureau
- Most recent earthquakes in Taiwan (Chinese): Chinese Weather Bureau (more detailed than the English version).
- Details on the most recent notable quake: United States Geological Survey