Taiwan: Magnitude-5.6 offshore earthquake occurs near Hualien, May 6

A magnitude-5.6 earthquake occurred off the eastern Taiwanese coast at 17:45 May 6. The epicenter was about 28 km south of Hualien City. The tremor occurred at a depth of about 20 km (12 miles), and shaking was probably felt throughout Taiwan. There have been no initial reports of damage or casualties as a result of the earthquake. It could take several hours until authorities can conduct comprehensive damage assessments, especially in remote areas. Aftershocks are likely over the coming days. At least one aftershock has already occurred. A magnitude-5.4 tremor occurred in the same area at 17:52. The events have 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.