According to seismologists, this is the most powerful earthquake in Taiwan in 25 years — there are deaths, dozens of buildings collapsed.
At night, an earthquake of magnitude 7.4 occurred off the east coast of Taiwan with an epicenter 18 km from the city of Hualien. The country issued a tsunami warning (currently canceled), and Japan and the Philippines began preparing for potential flooding.
By data According to the US Geological Survey, this is the most powerful earthquake in Taiwan in the last 25 years. Several dozen building collapses have been reported, almost a hundred thousand households have lost power, there are problems with the Internet, and at this point, at least 4 people have been killed and more than 50 injured, reports CNN.
🚨BREAKING: Multiple buildings have collapsed in Taipei, Taiwan after a Pair of Massive 7.5 Earthquakes Strikes Triggering Tsunami Warnings pic.twitter.com/BmHrHXMoXA
— Suppressed Voice (@SuppressedNws) April 3, 2024
🚨BREAKING: Dashcam captures 7.5 magnitude earthquake on highway in eastern Taiwanpic.twitter.com/EPbCHgc1Xi
— AJ Huber (@Huberton) April 3, 2024
The earthquake could also have a significant impact on chip manufacturing, causing shortages or price spikes for key components, which in turn would drive up the price of electronics, including laptops and TVs.
Taiwan produces 80% to 90% of the highest-end chips required for modern smartphone and AI applications.
According to BloombergTSMC, the world’s largest manufacturer of advanced chips, which cooperates with Apple and Nvidia, has begun evacuating its fabs. A smaller local competitor, UMC (United Microelectronics Corp.), has also suspended operations.
«TSMC’s security systems are operating normally. Some fabs have been evacuated to protect personnel,” the company said in a statement. «We are currently investigating the impact».
In September 1999, a 7.6-magnitude earthquake hit Taiwan, killing 2,400 people and destroying 5,000 buildings. At that time, prices for DRAM modules jumped by more than 25%,and the deficit lasted for months.