Strong earthquake in Taiwan injures 27 and causes scattered damage

6.4-magnitude earthquake hits southern Taiwan, leaving 27 injured and minor damage reported, no deaths.

A 6.4-magnitude earthquake struck southern Taiwan early Tuesday (January 21, 2025), leaving 27 people with minor injuries and some reported damage.

The quake hit at 12:17 a.m. and was centered 38 km southeast of Chiayi County Hall at a depth of 10 km, Taiwan’s Central Weather Administration said. The U.S. Geological Survey measured the earthquake at a less powerful magnitude 6.

There were scattered reports of minor to moderate damage around the cities of Chiayi and Tainan.

Taiwan’s fire department said 27 people were sent to hospitals for minor injuries. Among them were six people, including a 1-month-old baby, who were rescued from a collapsed house in the Nanxi district of Tainan. The Zhuwei bridge on a provincial highway was reported to be damaged.

No deaths have been reported, though rescuers were still assessing damage.

Two people in Tainan and one person in Chiayi city were rescued without injuries after being trapped in elevators.

The quake caused a fire at a printing factory in Chiayi, but it was extinguished, and there were no reports of injuries.