TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – Japan Prime Minister Kishida Fumio expressed his sympathy with Taiwan after a magnitude 7.2 earthquake rocked the country Wednesday (April 3) morning.
By noon, four people had been reported dead after the quake struck off the coast 25 km south-southeast of Hualien County Hall. Two buildings in Hualien City were reported listing, while rail systems across the country shut down temporarily for safety reviews.
Kishida said Japan would provide support as soon as possible, per CNA. Residents of islands in south Japan, including Okinawa, Miyako, and Yaeyama received a warning to look out for the possibility of a tsunami.
Kishida told residents to move to a safe location while the government collected more information to prepare the necessary measures. The Interior Ministry said there had been no reports of Japanese nationals being injured in Taiwan.
The quake was the largest in Taiwan since Sept. 21, 1999, when more than 2,400 people died after a magnitude 7.3 earthquake. Taiwan and Japan have provided each other with material aid or rescue teams, most recently after the March 11, 2011 Fukushima disaster in northeast Japan.