2016 southern Taiwan earthquake

2016 Taiwan earthquake
UTC time2016-02-05 19:57:27
ISC event611838796
USGS-ANSSComCat
Local date6 February 2016 (2016-02-06)
Local time03:57:27 (UTC+8)
Magnitude6.4 Mw
Depth23.0 km (14.3 mi)
Epicenter22°56′N 120°35′E / 22.94°N 120.59°E / 22.94; 120.59
Areas affectedRepublic of China (Taiwan)
Max. intensityCWA 7 (MMI VII)
Peak acceleration0.4 g
Peak velocity38.99 cm/s
Casualties116 dead
550 injured
Citations

At 03:57 local time on 6 February 2016, an earthquake with a moment magnitude of 6.4 struck 28 km (17 mi) northeast of Pingtung City in southern Taiwan, in the Meinong District of Kaohsiung. The earthquake struck at a depth of around 23 km (14 mi). Its comparatively shallow depth caused more intense reverberations on the surface. The earthquake had a maximum intensity of 7 on the Central Weather Administration seismic intensity scale, causing widespread damage and 116 deaths. Almost all of the deaths were caused by a collapsed residential building, named Weiguan Jinlong in Yongkang District, while two other people were killed in Gueiren District. Sixty-eight aftershocks have occurred. The earthquake was the deadliest earthquake in Taiwan since the 1999 Jiji earthquake.