M 7.4 in Taiwan on 02 Apr 2024 23:58 UTC

Event summary

This earthquake can have a medium humanitarian impact based on the magnitude and the affected population and their vulnerability.

GDACS ID EQ 1422322
Earthquake Magnitude: 7.4M
Glide number: EQ-2024-000040-TWN
Depth: 34.8 Km
Lat/Lon: 23.819 , 121.5616
Event Date: 02 Apr 2024 23:58 UTC
03 Apr 2024 07:58 Local
Exposed Population: 2.9 million (in MMI>=VII)
Inserted at: 03 Apr 2024 00:14 UTC
INFORM Coping capacity:
3.6 (Taiwan)
Maximum Wave Height observed: 1 m

GDACS Score

For more info on GDACS alert score click here.
  Earthquake
(Shakemap)		 Tsunami GDACS score
NEIC 1.4 1 1.4
us7000m9g4 Scaled population (raster) 5.46 Max wave alert 0.51m  
  C1 shakemap -0.59 Max wave realtime 1m  
  C2 shakemap 0.53      
  Country Vulnerability 0      
  INFORM_normalised 0.82      
Maximum expected impact using different data sources.
Virtual OSOCC
Meteo assessment
Satellite products
Analytical products
Taiwan - Earthquake and tsunami (ECHO 03 Apr 2024)Wed, 03 Apr 2024 10:25

  • An earthquake of 7.4 M at a depth of 35 km occurred in Taiwan on 2 April at 23.58 UTC (3 April at 7.58 local time). The epicentre was located 18 km south of Hualien City, in Hualien County, north-western Taiwan. The main earthquake was followed by a series of aftershocks, ranging between 5.5 M and 6.4 M.
  • USGS PAGER estimated that up to 213,000 people were exposed to severe shaking and up to 537,000 people to very strong shaking. 
  • According to the NOAA Tsunami Warning Center, a tsunami wave of 1 m was observed at Hualien County  on 3 April at 00.08 UTC, of 0.45 m at Chengong (Taitung County) at 00.41 UTC. The Japan Meteorological Agency observed a tsunami wave of 0.3 m at Yonaguni and Miyakoijima Islands (Okinawa Islands).
  • According to media reports, as of 3 April, four people died, at least 711 have been injured, 77 are still trapped in the debris, 22 have been rescued and one is still missing. In addition, at least 26 buildings have been destroyed and more than 100 have been damaged, 87,000 people have been affected by power outages, and several highways have been damaged.
  • National authorities are conducting monitoring, assessment, and data collection. 
M7.4 in Taiwan - EC/ECHO daily mapWed, 03 Apr 2024 18:09

A new EC/ECHO daily map is now available
Taiwan - Earthquakes, update (ECHO 04 Apr 2024)Thu, 04 Apr 2024 09:20

  • Following the 7.4 M earthquake that occurred on 2 April in Taiwan in Hualien City (north-eastern Taiwan) and triggered several landslides, the number of casualties and damage is increasing. More than 300 aftershocks have been recorded in the area.
  • According to media reports, as of 4 April, at least nine people died, including four in Taroko National Park between Nantou and Hualien Counties, 52 people are missing, 1,050 people have been injured and more than 130 are still trapped in the debris.
  • In addition, at least 48 buildings have been damaged, several highways and the railway between Yilan and Hualien counties have been damaged or blocked by landslides, and the Hualien Rural train station is still closed due to damage. In Hualien City work and classes have been suspended, and in Taipei City 201 schools have reported damage and six of them have suspended classes.
  • Search and rescue operations are still ongoing.
Taiwan - Earthquake, update (ECHO 08 Apr 2024)Mon, 08 Apr 2024 10:31

  • The humanitarian impact due to the strong earthquake of 7.4 M that occurred in Hualien County in north-eastern Taiwan on 2 April, has increased.
  • According to national authorities, as of 7 April, 13 people died, six are still missing, and 1,133 have been injured. In addition, hundreds of people are still evacuated in the Taroko National Park between Nantou and Hualien Counties, where several landslides occurred and blocked roads.
  • Search and rescue operations conducted by national authorities are still ongoing.
  • On 8 April, no rain is forecast while on 9-10 April, light to moderate rain is expected across Hualien County.
Detailed event map. European Union, 2024. Map produced by EC-JRC.
The boundaries and the names shown on this map do not imply official endorsement or acceptance by the European Union.

Updates on volcanic activity (Smithsonian)

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Estimated casualties (PAGER)

USGS estimates the number of casualties for each earthquake for the Prompt Assessment of Global Earthquakes for Response (PAGER) product.
The graph shows the current fatalities estimate.

Exposed population

Data, images, links, services and documents

For this events, GDACS has links to information from the following sources: EC-JRC (91), (5), NEIC (6), OCHA (1), INGV (1), TWB (2), USGS (5), INFORM (4), NOAA (1),