Before the people of Taiwan could fully recover from an earthquake that struck 20 days ago, the land was jolted by 80 tremors in a single night, including a devastating 6.3 magnitude quake. These tremors have caused buildings damaged by an earthquake on April 3rd to now tilt dangerously.
The epicenter of the quake was reported to be in Hualien's rural eastern county, the same location that experienced a 7.2 magnitude quake on April 3rd, resulting in approximately 14 fatalities. Taiwan has experienced hundreds of aftershocks since this strong earthquake.
Hotel Operations Halted
The Fire Department noted a hotel suffered significant damage due to the April 3rd earthquake and has further slanted after last night's tremors. They assured, however, that the hotel was not operational at the moment.
Why and How Do Earthquakes Occur?
From a scientific standpoint, we need to understand the structure of the Earth, which rests on tectonic plates floating over molten lava. When these plates collide, the resulting pressure can cause them to bend or even break, releasing energy in search of an escape route. This disturbance leads to an earthquake.
How is Magnitude Measured?
Earthquake intensity is measured on the Richter scale, a mathematical scale used to measure the amplitude of seismic waves, known as the Richter Magnitude Scale. Measurements on the Richter scale range from 1 to 9 based on the epicenter, gauging the energy released from within the Earth during an earthquake.
