Taiwan: Magnitude-5.0 offshore earthquake occurs off Hualien County at around 12:11 Nov. 26

A magnitude-5.0 offshore earthquake in the Philippine Sea off Taiwan at around 12:11 Nov. 26. The epicenter was about 87 km (54 miles) east of Hualien. The tremor occurred at a depth of about 26 km (16 miles), and weak-to-light shaking was probably felt throughout northern and central Taiwan. There have been no initial reports of damage or casualties as a result of the earthquake; significant damage is unlikely. It could take several hours until authorities can conduct comprehensive damage assessments, especially in remote areas. Aftershocks are possible over the coming days. The event has not prompted any tsunami advisories.

Officials may temporarily shut down transportation infrastructure in the tremor zone to check for damage. Minor disruptions could occur during shutdowns, but service will likely resume quickly if no damage is found. Utility outages are possible, particularly near the earthquake's epicenter.