Tainan: Aftershocks of around magnitude 4 are possible over the next three days following a magnitude 4.9 earthquake that struck Tainan in southern Taiwan at 11:47 a.m. on Thursday, according to the Central Weather Administration (CWA).

According to Focus Taiwan, the epicenter of the earthquake was located 32.3 kilometers northeast of Tainan City Hall in the Guantian District at a depth of 7.3 km. The intensity of the quake, gauging the actual effect of a seismic event, was highest in Tainan and Chiayi County, where it measured 4 on Taiwan's 7-tier intensity scale, as noted by the CWA.

The earthquake was caused by the collision of the Eurasian and the Philippine Sea plates to the east of Taiwan, explained Wu Chien-fu, director of the CWA's Seismological Center. As the depth of the earthquake was shallow, only a few aftershocks are expected, Wu stated, adding that future aftershocks are likely to be around magnitude 4.

Following the earthquake, two Taiwan High Speed Rail trains were temporarily halted for inspections, while Taiwan Railways trains on the route between Dounan Station in Yunlin and Gangshan Station in Kaohsiung operated at reduced speeds, as reported by the operators. A resident living on the seventh floor of Tainan's West Central District mentioned that he was about to go out for dinner when the earthquake alarm suddenly sounded on his cell phone. The building he resides in shook noticeably, but the shaking lasted only for a few seconds, and no items in the house fell or were damaged.

Earlier on Thursday, a magnitude 4.9 earthquake rattled Hualien County in eastern Taiwan at 2:01 a.m. The epicenter of this temblor was located 19.1 kilometers north from Hualien County Hall, at a depth of 25.3 km, according to CWA data. The strongest tremors were felt in Hualien, Yilan, and Nantou counties, where the intensity reached level 3. There were no immediate reports of damage following the quake, but the shaking woke up many residents in Hualien, bringing back memories of a strong earthquake a year ago.

Thursday marks the first anniversary since one of the worst natural disasters in recent years-a magnitude 7.2 earthquake-which struck Hualien on April 3, 2024, resulting in 18 deaths and over 1,100 injuries.