The quake occurred at a depth of 73 kilometres and was felt widely across Taiwan. Authorities classified it as a level four intensity, indicating the possibility of minor damage. The Taipei city government said no serious damage was reported, though there were isolated incidents such as gas and water leaks and minor structural damage.
The United States Geological Survey assessed the earthquake at a magnitude of 6.6.
More than 3,000 households in Yilan temporarily lost electricity following the tremor, according to the Taiwan Power Company, though power was later restored.
Major semiconductor manufacturer TSMC said a small number of its facilities at the Hsinchu Science Park briefly met evacuation thresholds. Staff were evacuated as a precaution and later returned to work.
The weather administration warned residents to remain alert for possible aftershocks ranging between magnitude 5.5 and 6.0 over the next 24 hours. It added that damage was expected to be limited because the earthquake was relatively deep and occurred offshore.
Taiwan President William Lai Ching-te said in a social media post that the situation was under control, while urging the public to stay vigilant for aftershocks.
Taiwan sits near the junction of two tectonic plates and frequently experiences earthquakes. In April 2024, a magnitude 7.4 quake killed 17 people near Hualien, while previous deadly earthquakes in 2016 and 1999 claimed more than 100 and over 2,000 lives respectively.
