5.1-magnitude quake hits Taiwan, affecting 2,000 passengers

Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-04 19:29:01|Editor: Li Xia
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TAIPEI, April 4 (Xinhua) -- One day after a 5.7-magnitude earthquake jolted Taitung County in Taiwan, another 5.1-magnitude earthquake rocked the same area Thursday morning, delaying trips of about 2,000 passengers who traveled home by train to sweep tombs for the coming Tomb Sweeping Day holiday.

Taiwan Railways had to slow down seven trains that run between Fuli Station in Hualien County and Shanli Station in Taitung County after the 5.1-magnitude earthquake shook mountainous areas at 9:56 a.m.

The earthquake struck at a depth of 10 km, after a 5.7-magnitude earthquake rocked the same area at a depth of 12 km at 9:52 a.m. Wednesday.

No anomalies were found in safety checks on railroad beds, tracks or electric devices along the rail lines, according to Taiwan Railways, which said normal train operations were restored at 11:30 a.m.

According to the China Earthquake Networks Center (CENC), the epicenter of Thursday's quake was monitored at 22.99 degrees north latitude and 120.85 degrees east longitude, and Wednesday's quake was centered at 22.95 degrees north latitude and 120.87 degrees east longitude.

The epicenters of the two quakes were both located in the Central Mountain Range, local seismic authorities said, adding that the earthquake on Thursday was an aftershock from the temblor on Wednesday.

Seismic authorities said it's unnecessary for local residents to panic too much in the coming days, as relatively few earthquakes had been recorded in the Central Mountain Range areas, where only 26 earthquakes measuring 5.0 or higher on the Richter scale were recorded since 1973.

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