Taiwan: A magnitude-5.1 offshore earthquake reported off southeast coast, July 27

A magnitude-5.3 offshore earthquake occurred off the southeastern coast at 19:21 July 27. The epicenter was about 131 km (81 miles) east southeast of Kaohsiung. The tremor occurred at a depth of about 41 km (26 miles), and light shaking was probably felt throughout southeastern Taiwan. There have been no initial reports of damage or casualties as a result of the earthquake; however, significant damage is unlikely. It could take several hours until authorities can conduct comprehensive damage assessments, especially in remote areas. Aftershocks are likely 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.