FLASH
Shkruar nga Pamfleti
According to the latest update, at least seven people have died and around 700 have been injured as a result of the strong earthquake off the coast of Taiwan.
This was confirmed today by the national fire authority. In addition, many buildings suffered catastrophic damage.
The 7.2-magnitude earthquake that struck Taiwan today, according to the Central Weather Administration (CWA), also triggered a small tsunami that reached several islands in southwestern Japan.
The earthquake struck at 07:58 (23:58 GMT Tuesday) at a depth of 15.5 kilometers.
"The epicenter was about 25 kilometers southeast of Hualien in eastern Taiwan," the CWA said.
It was followed by several strong aftershocks, including one with a magnitude of 6.5. The US Geological Survey (USGS) estimated the magnitude of the earthquake at 7.4.
Several buildings in Hualien were badly damaged by the violent tremors, local media reported.
Footage showed a collapsed multi-storey building.
In the city of New Taipei, which surrounds the capital in the north of the island, a warehouse collapsed, injuring three people, several media reported.
Damage was also reported in other parts of the island. According to eyewitnesses, the earthquake was also clearly felt in Taipei.
Public rail transport was canceled in several major cities on the island with a population of more than 23 million. Express train services were also suspended.
Following the event, there were emergency tsunami warnings for both the island and neighboring countries, particularly southern Japan and the Philippines, which came shortly after 6am. Chinese authorities issued a statement shortly after the earthquake, saying they were ready to provide assistance in the event of a disaster.
China's east coast lies only 180 km (111 miles) from Taiwan. "The mainland is very concerned about the situation and expresses sincere support to Taiwan's compatriots affected by the disaster," said Zhu Fenglian, spokesman for the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council.
Chinese state media have also reported extensively on the disaster. China and Taiwan have a tense relationship. Taiwan sees itself as a sovereign country, but Beijing sees it as a breakaway province that will eventually become part of the country and has not ruled out using force to achieve this.
An hour before the quake, Taiwan's Defense Ministry said at a daily briefing that 20 Chinese military aircraft had passed through its self-declared air defense zone in the past 24 hours.
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