2009 Hualien earthquake
Encyclopedia
The 2009 Hualien earthquake was a Mw
6.4 earthquake which occurred on December 19, 2009 at 21:02:16 (local time) off the coast of Hualian, Taiwan
. The Central Weather Bureau
put the magnitude at ML
6.8. Strong shaking could be felt in Hualian City (shindo
5 according to Central Weather Bureau) and Taipei
(MM
IV according to USGS, shindo 4 according to Central Weather Bureau). The earthquake could also be felt in Hong Kong
and Xiamen
, China
, and on several islands between Yonaguni
and Tarama
, Japan
.
s in Taipei. 10 people were hospital
ized after chlorine
leak in a hotel in Hualian. The outer decorative wall of a restaurant in Hualian collapsed.
Moment magnitude scale
The moment magnitude scale is used by seismologists to measure the size of earthquakes in terms of the energy released. The magnitude is based on the seismic moment of the earthquake, which is equal to the rigidity of the Earth multiplied by the average amount of slip on the fault and the size of...
6.4 earthquake which occurred on December 19, 2009 at 21:02:16 (local time) off the coast of Hualian, Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
. The Central Weather Bureau
Central Weather Bureau
The Central Weather Bureau is the government meteorological research and forecasting institution of the Republic of China . In addition to meteorology, the Central Weather Bureau also makes astronomical observations, reports on sea conditions, and conducts research into seismology and provides...
put the magnitude at ML
Richter magnitude scale
The expression Richter magnitude scale refers to a number of ways to assign a single number to quantify the energy contained in an earthquake....
6.8. Strong shaking could be felt in Hualian City (shindo
Japan Meteorological Agency seismic intensity scale
The Japan Meteorological Agency seismic intensity scale is a seismic scale used in Japan and Taiwan to measure the intensity of earthquakes. It is measured in units of...
5 according to Central Weather Bureau) and Taipei
Taipei
Taipei City is the capital of the Republic of China and the central city of the largest metropolitan area of Taiwan. Situated at the northern tip of the island, Taipei is located on the Tamsui River, and is about 25 km southwest of Keelung, its port on the Pacific Ocean...
(MM
Mercalli intensity scale
The Mercalli intensity scale is a seismic scale used for measuring the intensity of an earthquake. It measures the effects of an earthquake, and is distinct from the moment magnitude M_w usually reported for an earthquake , which is a measure of the energy released...
IV according to USGS, shindo 4 according to Central Weather Bureau). The earthquake could also be felt in Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
and Xiamen
Xiamen
Xiamen , also known as Amoy , is a major city on the southeast coast of the People's Republic of China. It is administered as a sub-provincial city of Fujian province with an area of and population of 3.53 million...
, China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
, and on several islands between Yonaguni
Yonaguni
is one of the Yaeyama Islands. It is the westernmost inhabited island of Japan and lies from the east coast of Taiwan, between the East China Sea and the Pacific Ocean proper....
and Tarama
Tarama, Okinawa
is a village located in Miyako District, Okinawa, Japan. The village consists of Tarama Island and Minna Island between Ishigaki Island and Miyako Island....
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
.
Casualties and damage
Two cars were damaged by fallen water towerWater tower
A water tower or elevated water tower is a large elevated drinking water storage container constructed to hold a water supply at a height sufficient to pressurize a water distribution system....
s in Taipei. 10 people were hospital
Hospital
A hospital is a health care institution providing patient treatment by specialized staff and equipment. Hospitals often, but not always, provide for inpatient care or longer-term patient stays....
ized after chlorine
Chlorine
Chlorine is the chemical element with atomic number 17 and symbol Cl. It is the second lightest halogen, found in the periodic table in group 17. The element forms diatomic molecules under standard conditions, called dichlorine...
leak in a hotel in Hualian. The outer decorative wall of a restaurant in Hualian collapsed.