Magnitude 7.2 earthquake strikes Taiwan (VIDEOS)

A magnitude 7.2 earthquake struck off the eastern coast of Taiwan on Wednesday morning, damaging buildings and triggering a tsunami warning. 

The earthquake struck off the coast of Hualien Country at 7:58 am local time and was felt across the island, including its capital Taipei, officials said.

At least four people were killed and 97 were injured, Taiwan’s fire department said. Local media reported that some people may still be trapped in their homes. Local media said that some people may still be trapped in their homes.

Wu Chien-fu, the head of Central Weather Administration’s Seismological Center, said it was the strongest earthquake to hit Taiwan since 1999. 

Several tall buildings have partially collapsed. In other regions, the earthquake has triggered landslides. 

Videos posted to social media show multi-story buildings dangerously leaning to one side.

Work and school classes were suspended in Hualien, as were high-speed rail services in several cities. 

The earthquake was also felt in several cities of mainland China, including Shanghai, according to Global Times.

Tsunami alerts were issued for southern Japan and the northern areas of the Philippines. Naha Airport on Japan’s Okinawa has suspended all flights. 

Japan’s news agency Kyodo reported that small tsunamis have reached the southern islands of Yonaguni, Ishigaki and Miyako. It said that the country’s meteorological services initially projected a tsunami of up to 3 meters, but later downgraded the projection to up to 1 meter.

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