TAIPEI, Taiwan — A strong earthquake shook eastern Taiwan on Thursday afternoon, causing scattered light damage in the capital and along the eastern coast.
The 6.1 magnitude quake was centered northwest of the city of Hualien at a depth of nearly 12 miles, Taiwan’s Central Weather Bureau said.
Water pipes at the city’s train station burst and rail traffic was briefly suspended. Schools along the east coast were evacuated, with students holding their backpacks over their heads for protection.
TV news showed at least one landslide in a lightly populated area.
Officials said a total of 17 people were injured, mostly by falling objects inside buildings. However, two hikers in the famed Taroko Gorge national park, including one from Malaysia, were injured by falling rocks, the Hualien government reported.
Traffic through the gorge has been halted while drones and helicopters check for damage, Premier Su Tsengchang said.
“If it rains, [retaining walls] could fall down, so we urge people not to get close,” he said.
Su said schools, worksites and water, power and transit lines had also been checked for damage. While no major problems were found, cracked road surfaces on the east coast could become a problem if rain falls soon, he said.