Aftershocks caused by Wednesday’s 7.2 earthquake were felt late last night and early this morning, each at a magnitude of 5 and above. Nonetheless, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) Seismological Center Director Wu Chien-fu (吳健富) says aftershocks are trending down; with fewer quakes of smaller scales.
The aftershocks that occurred both yesterday evening and this morning were a 5.1 and a 5.3 at their epicenters. In each case, the CWA quickly sent alert messages out to those in the affected counties.
A total of 494 aftershocks have occurred since Taiwan experienced its 7.2 quake. A number that includes quakes large enough to be significantly felt, and those which were very small.
In an interview, Wu stated that as Taiwan is an earthquake-prone country, one could occur at any time– including an earthquake not related to that from Wednesday. However, for the time being, the aftershocks seem to be leveling off.
Still, the CWA urged the public to take appropriate precautions. The current trend does not rule out a magnitude 5 or 6 earthquake in any area of Taiwan. Citizens should stay vigilant, and keep up to date with the information offered by the CWA and other local government agencies.