Earthquakes in Taiwan
In Taiwan there are very strong earthquakes with far-reaching consequences. Earthquakes with a magnitude of over 8.0 destroy numerous houses within a radius of several hundred kilometers and are causing great damage and devastation. Due to the special tectonic situation of the country, there are more earthquakes than average.Since 1950 more than 2700 people died by direct consequences of earthquakes. 13 earthquakes also caused a subsequent tsunami, which claimed further lifes and damages.
Other natural hazards in Taiwan:
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Earthquakes in Taiwan since 1950
The strongest earthquake in Taiwan happened on 03/12/1966 in the region Taiwan with a magnitude of 8.0 on the Richter scale. The shifting of tectonic plates in a depth of 21 km resulted in 7 deaths. The earthquake also triggered a tsunami with further victims and destructions.| Date | Region | Tiefe | Magnitude | Deaths | Total damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 08/07/2019 | Taipei | 2 km | 5.9 | 1 | |
| 04/18/2019 | Hualien | 6 km | 6.1 | 1 | |
| 02/06/2018 | Hualien | 42 km | 6.4 | 17 | |
| 02/05/2016 | Tainan | 6 km | 6.4 | 117 | |
| 04/20/2015 | Taipei | 38 km | 6.4 | 1 | |
| 06/02/2013 | Jenai | 3 km | 6.3 | 4 | |
| 03/27/2013 | Nantou County, Taipei | 19 km | 6.0 | 1 | |
| 02/26/2012 | Pingtung | 5.9 | 0 | ||
| 03/04/2010 | Kao-Hsiung | 51 km | 6.3 | 0 | |
| 12/19/2009 | Hualien | 17 km | 6.4 | 0 | |
| 12/26/2006 | Pingtung | 21 km | 7.0 | 2 | |
| 04/01/2006 | T'ait-Tung | 19 km | 6.2 | 0 | |
| 10/15/2004 | T'ao-Yuan | 50 km | 6.6 | 0 | |
| 05/01/2004 | Hualien (Taroko Gorge National Park) | 13 km | 5.2 | 2 | |
| 12/10/2003 | T'ai-Tung, Kao-Hsiun | 11 km | 6.8 | 0 | |
| 03/31/2002 | Taipei | 50 km | 7.1 | 5 | |
| 12/18/2001 | Taiwan | 58 km | 6.8 | 0 | |
| 06/10/2000 | Nan-Tou | 29 km | 6.4 | 2 | |
| 05/17/2000 | Tai-Chung County | 48 km | 5.4 | 3 | |
| 10/22/1999 | Chia-I | 58 km | 5.9 | 1 | |
| 09/25/1999 | Central | 48 km | 6.5 | 0 | |
| 09/20/1999 | Nantou, Taichung, Taizhong | 18 km | 7.7 | 2297 | |
| 07/17/1998 | Chia-I, Tainan, Hualien, Kao-Hsiung | 14 km | 5.7 | 5 | |
| 05/03/1998 | Taiwan | 21 km | 7.5 | 0 | |
| 09/05/1996 | Taiwan Region | 6 km | 6.8 | 0 | |
| 06/05/1994 | Chi-Lung, I-Lan, Taipei, Nan-Ao | 30 km | 6.4 | 1 | |
| 05/24/1994 | Taiwan | 42 km | 6.5 | 0 | |
| 12/13/1990 | Hua-Lien | 17 km | 6.3 | 0 | |
| 12/13/1990 | Hualien, Taipei | 48 km | 6.2 | 2 | |
| 07/20/1988 | Hualien, Su-Hua | 36 km | 5.7 | 1 | |
| 11/14/1986 | Taipei, Hualien | 10 km | 7.8 | 15 | |
| 05/20/1986 | Hualien | 46 km | 6.4 | 1 | |
| 12/23/1978 | Pintung | 12 km | 7.0 | 2 | |
| 07/23/1978 | Taiwan | 36 km | 7.4 | 0 | |
| 04/24/1972 | Hualien | 21 km | 6.9 | 4 | |
| 01/25/1972 | Taiwan | 23 km | 7.5 | 1 | |
| 01/25/1972 | Taiwan | 23 km | 7.7 | 0 | |
| 01/04/1972 | Taiwan | 54 km | 7.6 | 0 | |
| 10/25/1967 | Hualien | 22 km | 7.0 | 2 | |
| 03/12/1966 | Taiwan | 21 km | 8.0 | 7 | |
| 01/18/1964 | Tainan | 41 km | 7.0 | 107 | |
| 02/13/1963 | Taipei, Hsinch | 4 km | 7.3 | 15 | |
| 08/15/1959 | Taiwan | 3 km | 7.0 | 16 | |
| 04/26/1959 | Taipei | 38 km | 7.5 | 2 | |
| 02/23/1957 | Hualien, Taipei | 14 km | 7.2 | 11 | |
| 11/24/1951 | Taiwan | 13 km | 7.5 | 17 | |
| 10/22/1951 | Taiwan | 1 km | 7.3 | 68 |
These statistics are based on datas from the National Geophysical Data Center / World Data Service (NGDC/WDS): Significant Earthquake Database. doi:10.7289/V5TD9V7K. Several data have been summarized and translated. Foto taken from National Geophysical Data Center (NGDC, public domain).