Major earthquake strikes off Taiwan, killing 4 and injuring dozens

Taiwan's strongest earthquake in a quarter century rocked the island during the morning rush hour Wednesday, damaging buildings and highways and causing the deaths of four people. The quake also created a tsunami that washed ashore on southern Japanese islands.

It struck just before 8 a.m. local time, about 18 kilometres southwest of Hualien, on the other side of the island from the capital Taipei, and was about 35 kilometres deep.

Taiwan's national fire agency said four people died in Hualien County — a mountainous, sparsely populated area — and at least 57 were injured. The local United Daily News reported three hikers died in rockslides in Taroko National Park near the offshore epicentre.

At least 26 buildings have collapsed, more than half in Hualien, though in one of the worst damaged ones 22 people were rescued with only one missing, the fire department said.

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) put the quake at 7.4, revised from a preliminary magnitude of 7.5, while Taiwan's earthquake monitoring agency gave the magnitude as 7.2.

Several aftershocks ranging in magnitude from 5.2 to 6.4 followed the initial quake, according to the USGS.

A five-storey building in Hualien appeared heavily damaged, collapsing its first floor and leaving the rest leaning at a 45-degree angle. In the capital Taipei, tiles fell from older buildings and in some newer office complexes, while debris fell from some building sites.

Train service was suspended across the island of 23 million people, as was subway service in Taipei, where a newly constructed above-ground line partially separated. The national legislature, a converted school built before World War II, also had damage to walls and ceilings. 

Traffic along the east coast was at a virtual standstill, with landslides and falling debris hitting tunnels and highways in the mountainous region. Those caused damage to vehicles, though it wasn't clear if anyone was hurt. 

Videos shared on social media showed a landslide in Xiulin, about 45 kilometres to the north of Hualien, after the earthquake hit.

Schools evacuated their students to sports fields, equipping them with protective yellow head coverings.

Many small children also wore motorcycle helmets to guard against falling objects amid continuing aftershocks.

Despite the quake striking at the height of the morning rush hour, there was little panic on the island that is regularly rocked by temblors and holds drills at schools and issues notices via public media and mobile phone.

Schools and government offices were given the option of cancelling work and classes.