Hualien:

Taiwan’s earthquake-hit eastern county of Hualien was rocked by more than 200 aftershocks late Monday night and early Tuesday morning, but only minor damage and no casualties were reported, and major chipmaker TSMC said there was no impact on operations.

The largely rural and sparsely populated Hualien was hit by a magnitude 7.2 earthquake on April 3 that killed at least 17 people and has since been followed by more than 1,000 aftershocks.

Buildings collapsed overnight in large parts of northern, eastern and western Taiwan, including the capital Taipei, with the largest quake measuring 6.3. All were very shallow.

“Especially at 2 a.m., it shook very strongly. In fact, for a moment I thought of running down, but we live on the sixth floor, I found it a little difficult to go down,” said Taipei resident Aidan Peng, 44, a medical doctor. Researcher.

“Then again, based on my previous experience, I thought it should be good and hopefully it will be good,” Peng added. “And because I was so tired, I just continued to sleep hoping for the best.”

Taiwan’s Central Weather Administration said the aftershocks that began Monday afternoon – numbering more than 200 – were aftershocks of a larger earthquake on April 3.

Wu Chien-fu, director of the Seismological Center, told reporters that the aftershocks were a “concentrated release of energy” and that more, though not as strong, could be expected.

With heavy rains forecast across Taiwan this week, people in Hualien need to prepare for more disruption, he added.

Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen wrote on her Facebook page urging people to stay away from mountains and be vigilant.

“When an earthquake hits, don’t panic. Master the principle of ‘duck, cover, stay put,’” she wrote.

The Hualien Fire Department said two buildings already unoccupied after the damage on April 3 sustained further damage and were leaning.

There are no reports of casualties.

The world’s largest contract chipmaker, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC), which has factories on the island’s west coast, said some employees at a small number of factories were evacuated, but facilities and safety systems were working normally and all employees were safe. .

“Currently, we do not expect any impact on operations,” he said in an email.

TSMC’s Taipei-listed shares closed up 1.6% on Tuesday, as investors shrugged off concerns about the earthquake.

In mountainous Hualin County, some roads were reported closed due to rockslides, and the government suspended work and school for the day.

Taiwan lies near the junction of two tectonic plates and is prone to earthquakes.

An earthquake in southern Taiwan in 2016 killed more than 100 people, while a magnitude 7.3 quake in 1999 killed more than 2,000.

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