[VIDEOS] Tsunami Warnings Issued After 7.2 Magnitude Earthquake Hits Taiwan
Japan and the Philippines have issued tsunami warnings following the earthquake.
An earthquake with a magnitude of 7.2 has struck Taiwan, causing local destruction, and prompting Japan and the Philippines to issue tsunami warnings to their coastal areas
According to Reuters, Taiwanese television has shown footage of collapsed buildings in Hualien, a city on Taiwan's eastern coast, as well as shaking roads in Taipei, the capital, on Wednesday morning, 3 April.
The quake has caused power outages throughout the country, and could be felt as far as Shanghai, China.
The Guardian reported that Taiwan's earthquake monitoring agency gave the magnitude of 7.2 to the quake, while the United States Geological Survey said the quake was a magnitude of 7.4, with its epicentre 18km south of Hualien at a depth of 34.8km.
Japan has issued an evacuation advisory for the coastal areas of the southern prefecture of Okinawa
According to the Japan Meterological Agency, tsunami waves of up to 3m are expected to reach large areas of the country's southwestern coast.
Meanwhile, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology has also issued a warning for residents in coastal areas of several provinces, urging them to evacuate to higher ground.
Many have taken to social media to share visuals of the earthquake and the devastation it has caused, including collapsed buildings and landslides