A partially collapsed building in Hualien city (Photo: TVBS)
An earthquake measuring 7.4 on the Richter scale struck off Taiwan's east coast on Wednesday, setting off tsunami warnings on the island and its neighboring countries, BBC reported.
According to the US Geological Survey, the epicenter is located about 18km (11 miles) south of Taiwan's Hualien city.
Multiple buildings have partially collapsed in Hualien and are shown leaning at precarious angles. Seismology officials said it is Taiwan's strongest earthquake in 25 years. There were no immediate reports of deaths or injuries.
In the capital Taipei, videos show buildings shaking violently, sending objects flying from shelves and toppling furniture.
Videos posted on social media show the earthquake has triggered huge landslides in Taiwan's mountainous interior. The extent of the damage there is still unknown.
Footage on local media outlets show collapsed residential buildings and people being evacuated from their homes and schools. The impact of the earthquake has also smashed vehicles and thrown items inside stores in disarray, according to clips aired by local broadcaster TVBS.
Power cuts and internet outages have been reported across the island, according to internet monitoring group NetBlocks.
Wednesday's earthquake hit at 07:58 local time (23:58 GMT) at a depth of 15.5km and has set off at least nine aftershocks at magnitude 4 or larger, so far.
(Photos: Xinhua)
