Powerful Earthquake Rocks Taiwan, Halting Rail Services and Causing Outages

📌Key Points

• •A powerful earthquake, reported as magnitude 6.6 (USGS) and 7.0 (CWA), struck off Taiwan's northeastern coast on Saturday night, Dec. 27.
• •The deep offshore epicenter (45 miles/70km) significantly limited damage and prevented a tsunami warning.
• •No major injuries or widespread damage were reported, but the quake caused temporary disruptions to Taiwan High Speed Rail and metro services.
• •Over 3,000 homes in Yilan briefly lost power, and isolated minor damage, including gas/water leaks, was reported in Taipei.
• •The earthquake was felt in 17 of Taiwan's 22 counties, reaching a seismic intensity of 4 on the island's 7-point scale.
• •Authorities warned residents to be alert for potential aftershocks of magnitude 5.5 to 6.0.