By KHT Staff. AI-generated illustration image.
PINGTUNG — The magnitude 4.7 earthquake that struck a mountainous area of Pingtung County on Sunday is drawing attention from seismologists because the location has recorded little seismic activity for decades.
The quake occurred on the 29th at 11:12 a.m. at a depth of 23.3 kilometers, according to the Central Weather Administration (CWA).
While moderate in strength, the event stood out for its location. Officials said the area has not recorded an earthquake above magnitude 4 in roughly 30 years.
Chen Da-yi (陳達毅), a senior official at the CWA’s Earthquake Monitoring Center, described the location as a “seismic gap” and warned that aftershocks between magnitude 4.0 and 4.5 could occur over the next three to five days.
The quake is believed to be linked to tectonic activity along the Chaozhou fault zone, where the Eurasian Plate is being forced beneath the Philippine Sea Plate. Although small earthquakes have been recorded along this zone in surrounding areas, the specific section in Pingtung where Sunday’s quake occurred has remained largely quiet in recent decades.
A separate earthquake was reported later the same day in Chiayi County, roughly 100 kilometers to the north. That quake was shallower, occurring at a depth of 8.2 kilometers, and comes amid a recent increase in seismic activity in the area.
Most earthquakes affecting Taiwan are concentrated along the island’s east coast, particularly near Yilan and Hualien. Activity on the western side of the Central Mountain Range is less frequent, making Sunday’s event in Pingtung notable despite its relatively modest magnitude.
