A strong earthquake shakes Taiwan, damaging buildings and causing a tsunami

A partially collapsed building is seen in Hualien, eastern Taiwan after a powerful earthquake rocked the entire island. Follow live news updates.

A powerful earthquake struck the entire island of Taiwan early Wednesday, resulting in building collapses in a southern city and triggering a tsunami that reached southern Japanese islands.

In Hualien, a lightly populated area, a five-story building suffered extensive damage, with its first floor collapsing and the remainder leaning at a 45-degree angle. Taipei, the capital, experienced tiles falling from older buildings and within some newer office complexes.

In this image taken from a video footage run by TVBS, a woman stands near a partially collapsed building in Hualien, eastern Taiwan

Train and subway services were halted across the 23-million-strong island. However, normalcy swiftly returned in Taipei, with children attending school and the morning commute resuming without major disruptions.

The Japan Meteorological Agency reported a 30-centimeter (about 1-foot) tsunami wave hitting the coast of Yonaguni island approximately 15 minutes post-quake. The agency also noted likely waves impacting Miyako and Yaeyama islands. Japan’s Self Defense Force dispatched aircraft to assess the tsunami's effects in the Okinawa region and prepared shelters for potential evacuees.

Taiwan’s earthquake monitoring agency recorded the magnitude as 7.2, while the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) estimated it at 7.4. The quake, occurring at 7:58 a.m., struck about 18 kilometers south-southwest of Hualien and had a depth of around 35 kilometers (21 miles).

Wu Chien-fu, head of Taiwan’s earthquake monitoring bureau, mentioned that effects were felt as far as Kinmen, a Taiwanese-controlled island off China's coast. Taipei experienced multiple aftershocks within an hour of the initial quake, with one registering a magnitude of 6.5 and a depth of 11.8 kilometers (7 miles), according to the USGS.

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center stated there was no tsunami threat to Hawaii or the U.S. Pacific territory of Guam.

This earthquake is believed to be the most significant in Taiwan since a 1999 quake that caused extensive damage. Taiwan is situated along the Pacific “Ring of Fire,” a region known for seismic activity due to numerous seismic faults encircling the Pacific Ocean.