Very strong but luckily deep earthquake 50 km east of Yilan county, Taiwan

Last update: June 10, 2012 at 6:37 am by By

Earthquake overview : A very strong but deep earthquake occurred 50 km to the east of North Taiwan.  The depth of approx. 60 km had an effect that people felt the earthquake in a wide radius (all over the island).
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Update : Another Ml 4.8 earthquake (aftershock?) occurred at a depth of 32.4 km at 14:23 local time.  Epicenter more to the South and closer to the coast.

Update : The Magnitude values reported by the various agencies all over the world are seriously different, partly by the different scales but not completely. CWB values refer to a stronger Magnitude and a lesser depth and explain in part why this earthquake was felt so strongly in the north.  Earthquake-report.com gives, different to most press instances in the world, a high credibility to local skilled seismological agencies like CWB.  CWB has a lot of seismographs installed all over the island and therefore reports very accurate values.

Update : as stated below in the Experience reports we have received from our Taiwan readers, minor damage like falling objects and cracks in walls is already a certainty.

Update : Since the mainshock, CWB has reported 2 aftershocks, the first at Ml 4.5 and the second at Ml 5.1. These aftershocks may go on for some time, but as they occur the same distance out of the coast, we consider them not to cause damage.

CWB reported intensities (CWB scale)
The CWB scale is somewhat similar as the JMA (Japan scale) and goes from 0 to 7
5 CWB means in normal language : most people are considerably frightened.
Nan-ao, Yilan County               5
Heping, Hualien County             5
Su-ao, Yilan County                4
Luodong, Yilan County              4
Neicheng, Yilan County             4
Niudou, Yilan County               4
Tailuge, Hualien County            4
Wufenshan, New Taipei City         4
Hualien City, Hualien County       4
Yanliao, Hualien County            4
Nanshan, Yilan County              4
Tongmen, Hualien County            4
Shoufeng, Hualien County           4
Yilan City, Yilan County           4
Deji, Taichung City                4

The earthquake was felt all over the island, but people in the North are reporting heavy shaking.

Taiwan Central Weather Bureau reports a Magnitude of Ml 6.5 at a depth of 61.7 km (the scales used by USGS and CWB are although different, USGS is using the Moment Magnitude scale and CWB the Ml Local Magnitude scale also called the Richter scale by press and public. Ml is rather accurate up to Ml7.

A very strong but deep earthquake occurred 50 km to the east of North Taiwan.
The depth of approx. 70 km had an effect that people felt the earthquake in a wide radius.
Taiwan has a very good preparedness record but has also a lot of earthquakes. Today’s earthquake is one of the most powerful since a long time, but was luckily deep and off the island’s coast.

Image and intensities courtesy CWB, Taiwan

Most important Earthquake Data:
Magnitude : Ml 6.5
UTC Time : Saturday, June 09, 2012 at 21:00:18 UTC
Local time at epicenter : Sunday, June 10, 2012 at 05:00:18 AM at epicenter
Depth (Hypocenter) : 61.7 km
Geo-location(s) :
50 km (31 miles) E of Su’ao, Taiwan
95 km (59 miles) NE of Hualien, Taiwan
100 km (62 miles) SE of TAIPEI, Taiwan

Links to important maps
USGS Did You Feel It Map
Google satellite map showing the epicenter and the surrounding area
Historic earthquakes map
Seismic hazard map
Shaking map
Scientific parameters
Human impact map

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SRC Location UTC Date/time M D INFORMATION
EMSC Taiwan Region Jun 09 21:54 PM 4.6 74 MAP I Felt It
USGS Taiwan Region Jun 09 21:54 PM 4.6 74 MAP I Felt It
GEOFON Taiwan Region Jun 09 21:54 PM 4.7 58 MAP I Felt It
CWB Yilan County, Taiwan Jun 09 21:00 PM 6.5 61 MAP I Felt It
CWB Yilan County, Taiwan Jun 09 21:00 PM 6.5 67 MAP I Felt It
USGS Taiwan Region Jun 09 21:00 PM 6.0 70 MAP I Felt It
  • Taiwan - the whole house was shaking, im on the 10th floor. things on the walls were swaying.. it was actually a little frightening
  • Taipei city - But short, only about 5 sec. Woke up. 5am in the morning.
  • Taipei, Yong He - Moderate shaking indicated
  • Taiwan, Taipei - Woken up at around 5am and felt my whole building swaying. Lives on 24th floor
  • Taipei - Woke my out of bed. I'm staying at the HOward Plaza Hotel on the 10th floor. Definite shaking and slight swaying dor about 30 seconds.
  • New Taipei City, Xinzhuang - Woke me up around 5:00... lasted for about 30 seconds.
  • Hsinchu, Taiwan - Slow swaying motion on the 8th floor. Lasted about 20-30 seconds.
  • Downtown Taipei - Sleeping in Hotel near Train Station. Woke me up around 5:00AM.. Pretty decent shaking that lasted for 10-15 seconds
  • banciao, taiwan - I was woke up by this strong shaking of my bed. Very unsettling!
  • Zhunan, Miaoli County - Large amplitude, low frequency. Felt like I was severily dizzy.
  • Hualien, Taiwan - In bed in guest university guest house, and already awake. Suddenly bed was moving gently back and forth. Immediately recognized as earthquake, but not scary.
  • Taipei - Light shaking reported
  • Xindian Dist. Taiwan - Not incredibly strong, but when I woke up I could hear the walls shaking and it felt like someone was giving my bed a gentle rocking. It was just strong enough that I could be sure it was an earthquake, no damage or anything though.
  • Linkou Heights - Linkou is at 230 M above sea level, further from Yilan than Taipei is. Possibly an Altitude / amplitude combination made it feeling stronger vs. all others in the last years. We woke up when a photo frame tumbled down. Damage observed: - +\- 30 yellow bricks in one outer wall which are vertically broken, showing hairlines of 0.5 mm width.
  • Taoyuan - We felt strong shaking for about 15 seconds and heard noises out side such as stuff falling.
  • Kaohsiung - It was long. The house swayed for twenty seconds, at least.
  • Danshui, Taiwan - Woke me up at 5:00 a.m., bed shaking quite strongly and building groaning. I had earplugs in but could still hear it. The shaking went on for a long time, seemed to subside then started up again. I'm on the 9th floor so tend to feel it more, I think. One of the biggest I've felt here, not the usual gentle swaying I normally feel. Nothing in the house fell over, though,
  • Taipei - I woke up at 5am and was like, "Whoa...Earthquake..."
  • Kaohsiung - Woke me up in the morning. Very short and weak in KH.
  • Taipei - Woke up at 5am. Felt my bed shaking at a low frequency and thought I was sick. Lasted about 20 seconds.
  • Taipei - 5am, lasted around 25 seconds at most. Moderate movement, easy to stand up, nothing fell off walls or shelves, although surfboards and guitars leaning on walls rocked a little. On 11th floor, so potentially magnified versus ground level. Happy to not be hung over though.
  • Hualien - Felt it in my sleep, then woke up and shouted "earthquake". My bed was swaying and then it stoped. Nothing broke, it was all fine.
  • Danshui - Woke up because of the earthquake, first thought it will be over soon, was only a gentle back and forth movement, but then it became stronger and I went out of my bed to go under the doorframe, lasted about 40seconds, some stuff in my house got knocked over.
  • Taipei City - I was woken abruptly at 5 am by mild shaking. The shaking seemed to subside for a few seconds, then came back much stronger. A few little things in the flat fell over, picture frames went askew, and the drawers in the kitchen opened. Shaking lasted about 20 seconds, and the building swayed lightly for 30-60 seconds afterward. I am on the 5th floor of a new building in downtown Taipei.
  • Taipei - Earthquake was around 30 secs. Room was shaking.
  • Tainan Taiwan - It was early in the working and I was in 15 floor hotel room. The room started to shake and the whole building swayed from side to side. This was my first experience of anything like this. Was I little concerned but not afraid. I called hotel lobby to check, got an all clear and went back to bed.
  • Zonge,New taipei city - I was doing my office work at 5.00am in my notebook and plan to sleep. At around 5:07am there was a strong shaking in the building. I was living on the 5th floor. My TV, table were shaking. I kept my pillow on top of my head to avoid if anything fall from top. Due to the shaking i felt the building was going to collapse.The quake was about 10 to 15 seconds. After that there was a small quake again occur for 5seconds in the interval of 10 seconds from the first one.
  • Taichung - i was awakened when the double deck is swayed (TEPZ)
  • Taipei - It woke us up at around 5.00am, the bed felt like it was swaying/shaking. It lasted around 10 seconds. We have since spotted cracks in the walls, we are on the 5th floor. Good to know that everyone is ok.
  • Taipei - I was talking with some friends outside when I felt the shaking around 5AM, that was strong enough, but short, less then 5 seconds. I never felt it before in Taipei, on the south is normal...
    		•
    GEOFON Taiwan Region Jun 09 21:00 PM 5.9 66 MAP I Felt It
    EMSC Taiwan Region Jun 09 21:00 PM 5.9 74 MAP I Felt It
    EMSC Taiwan Jun 09 04:41 AM 4.7 24 MAP I Felt It
    GEOFON Taiwan Jun 09 04:41 AM 4.7 10 MAP I Felt It
    USGS Taiwan Jun 09 04:41 AM 4.6 18 MAP I Felt It

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    SHARE YOUR EARTHQUAKE EXPERIENCE WITH US

    Enter Email (not compulsory)
    City/Village where you felt the earthquake
    MMI II (Very weak shaking) ?
    People :
    Felt by persons at rest, on upper floors or favorably placed.
    MMI III (Weak shaking) ?
    People :
    Felt indoors; hanging objects may swing, vibration similar to passing of light trucks, duration may be estimated, may not be recognized as an earthquake.
    MMI IV (Light shaking) ?
    People :
    Generally noticed indoors but not outside. Light sleepers may be awakened. Vibration may be likened to the passing of heavy traffic, or to the jolt of a heavy object falling or striking the building.
    Fittings :
    Doors and windows rattle. Glassware and crockery rattle. Liquids in open vessels may be slightly disturbed. Standing motorcars may rock.
    Structures :
    Walls and frames of buildings, and partitions and suspended ceilings in commercial buildings, may be heard to creak.
    MMI V (Moderate shaking) ?
    People :
    Generally felt outside, and by almost everyone indoors. Most sleepers awakened. A few people alarmed.
    Fittings :
    Small unstable objects are displaced or upset. Some glassware and crockery may be broken. Hanging pictures knock against the wall. Open doors may swing. Cupboard doors secured by magnetic catches may open. Pendulum clocks stop, start, or change rate.
    Structures :
    Some large display windows cracked. A few earthenware toilet fixtures cracked.
    MMI VI (Strong shaking) ?
    People Felt by all. People and animals alarmed. Many run outside. Difficulty experienced in walking steadily.
    Fittings :
    Objects fall from shelves. Pictures fall from walls. Some furniture moved on smooth floors, some unsecured free-standing fireplaces moved. Glassware and crockery broken. Very unstable furniture overturned. Small church and school bells ring. Appliances move on bench or table tops. Filing cabinets or "easy glide" drawers may open (or shut).
    Structures :
    Slight damage to buildings with low standard. Some stucco or cement plaster falls. Large display windows broken. Damage to a few weak domestic chimneys, some may fall.
    Environment :
    Trees and bushes shake, or are heard to rustle. Loose material may be dislodged from sloping ground, e.g. existing slides, talus slopes, shingle slides.
    MMI VII (Very strong shaking) ?
    People
    General alarm. Difficulty experienced in standing. Noticed by motorcar drivers who may stop.
    Fittings :
    Large bells ring. Furniture moves on smooth floors, may move on carpeted floors. Substantial damage to fragile contents of buildings.
    Structures :
    Unreinforced stone and brick walls cracked. Low standard buildings cracked with some minor masonry falls. A few instances of damage to buildings of ordinary workmanship. Unbraced parapets, unbraced brick gables, and architectural ornaments fall. Roofing tiles, especially ridge tiles may be dislodged. Many unreinforced domestic chimneys damaged, often falling from roof-line. Water tanks Type I burst. A few instances of damage to brick veneers and plaster or cement-based linings. Unrestrained water cylinders (hot-water cylinders) may move and leak. Some common windows cracked. Suspended ceilings damaged.
    Environment :
    Water made turbid by stirred up mud. Small slides such as falls of sand and gravel banks, and small rock-falls from steep slopes and cuttings. Instances of settlement of unconsolidated or wet, or weak soils. Some fine cracks appear in sloping ground. A few instances of liquefaction (i.e. small water and sand ejections).
    MMI VIII (Severe shaking) ?
    People Alarm may approach panic. Steering of motorcars greatly affected. Structures : Low standard buildings heavily damaged, some collapse. ordinary workmanship buildings damaged, some with partial collapse. Reinforced masonry or concrete buildings damaged in some cases. A few instances of damage to buildings and bridges designed and built to resist earthquakes. Monuments and pre-1976 elevated tanks and factory stacks twisted or brought down. Some pre-1965 infill masonry panels damaged. A few post-1980 brick veneers damaged. Decayed timber piles of houses damaged. Houses not secured to foundations may move. Most unreinforced domestic chimneys damaged, some below roof-line, many brought down. Environment : Cracks appear on steep slopes and in wet ground. Small to moderate slides in roadside cuttings and unsupported excavations. Small water and sand ejections and localized lateral spreading adjacent to streams, canals, lakes, etc.
    MMI IX (Violent shaking) ?
    Structures Many low standard buildings destroyed. Ordinary workmanship buildings heavily damaged, some collapse. Reinforced masonry or concrete buildings damaged, some with partial collapse. Buildings and bridges designed and built to resist earthquakes damaged in some cases, some with flexible frames seriously damaged. Damage or permanent distortion to some buildings and bridges, designed and built to normal use standards. Houses not secured to foundations shifted off. Brick veneers fall and expose frames. Environment : Cracking of ground conspicuous. Landsliding general on steep slopes. Liquefaction effects intensified and more widespread, with large lateral spreading and flow sliding adjacent to streams, canals, lakes, etc.
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