A powerful earthquake has shaken Taiwan, causing buildings to collapse and triggering a tsunami. The quake was so strong that it rocked the entire island early Wednesday morning and footage has shown entire buildings toppling.
Buildings in the eastern city of Hualien were seen shaking off their foundations in TV footage. One video shows a man standing in the street in front of a building that is leaning precariously.
Another shows crowds stopping to look at the building, as dust from its foundations billows in the air.
In one terrifying video, an entire bridge carrying traffic in both directions can be seen shaking while drivers continue to attempt to make their way across it.
Another video, taken from beneath a bridge, shows the structure wobbling. Other videos show enormous landslides.
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All train services across the island and subway service in Taipei were stopped.
The quake happened at 7:58 a.m. on the side of the island opposite the capital, but it was still strong enough to knock things off shelves in the city.
Different agencies reported different magnitudes for the quake. Taiwan’s earthquake monitoring agency said it was a 7.2 magnitude quake, while the U.S. Geological Survey said it was a 7.5.
The Japan Meteorological Agency warned of a tsunami up to 9.8 feet high for the southern Japanese island group of Okinawa. A wave about 1 foot high was spotted on the coast of Yonaguni island about 15 minutes after the quake.
The agency said waves likely also hit the coasts of Miyako and Yaeyama islands.
