US embassy cable - 04TAIPEI3232

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OFFSHORE TAIWAN EARTHQUAKE: NO SERIOUS DAMAGE

Identifier: 04TAIPEI3232
Wikileaks: View 04TAIPEI3232 at Wikileaks.org
Origin: American Institute Taiwan, Taipei
Created: 2004-10-17 23:52:00
Classification: UNCLASSIFIED
Tags: TSPL TPHY SENV ECON TW ESTH
Redacted: This cable was not redacted by Wikileaks.
This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

UNCLAS TAIPEI 003232 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE PLEASE PASS TO AIT/W AND EAP/RSP/TC 
 
DOI PLEASE PASS TO USGS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: TSPL, TPHY, SENV, ECON, TW, ESTH 
SUBJECT:  OFFSHORE TAIWAN EARTHQUAKE:  NO SERIOUS DAMAGE 
 
On October 15, 2004 at 12:08pm, a powerful earthquake of 7 
on the Richter Scale struck at approximately 70 miles east 
of Taiwan's northeastern coastal city of Ilan.  The 
earthquake was at a depth of 59 kilometers beneath the 
surface of the ocean.  Taiwan's northeastern cities of Ilan 
and Hualien felt the greatest effects with tremors reaching 
a magnitude of 5 on the Richter Scale.  The earthquake 
reached 4 on the Richter Scale for the remainder of northern 
Taiwan, including Taipei.  As of 4:00pm, no deaths and only 
minor injuries to two people and damage to a single home 
were reported.  This is the strongest earthquake recorded 
since September 21, 1999, when a magnitude 7.6 quake struck 
central Taiwan killing over 2,400 people, injuring more than 
10,0000 and damaging or destroying over 50,000 buildings. 
 
Paal 

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