TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Three earthquakes rattled Kaohsiung late Thursday night, followed by a magnitude 4 quake in Tainan early Friday morning, which the Central Weather Administration said is part of stress adjustments following January’s earthquake in Chiayi County.

The first Kaohsiung earthquake occurred in Jiaxian District at 10:49 p.m., followed by quakes at 10:59 p.m. and 11:19 p.m., measuring 4.7, 3.5, and 4.7 in magnitude, respectively, at depths of 8 to 8.2 km, per CNA. At 4:24 a.m. Friday, a magnitude 4 earthquake occurred in Tainan's Naxi District, 36.4 km northeast of Tainan City Hall, at a depth of 8.9 km, with a maximum intensity of 4 in Tainan.

Chiu Chun-ta (邱俊達), a technical officer at the CWA’s Seismological Center, said the 10:49 p.m. and 11:19 p.m. Kaohsiung quakes were extremely shallow, causing strong shaking near the epicenters. He said that intensity level 4 shaking mainly affected Dapu Township in Chiayi, Nanxi District in Tainan, and Taoyuan District in Kaohsiung.

Because the 11:19 p.m. quake was stronger, a national-level alert was issued for Chiayi and Tainan, Chiu added.

He explained that the Philippine Sea Plate colliding with the Eurasian Plate generates stress that moves westward from the Hualien Rift. Near the epicenter, opposing forces from the northward subduction and the eastward subduction of the Eurasian Plate create complex and fragile geological conditions.

Chiu said the magnitude 6.4 Dapu earthquake on Jan. 21 required stress adjustments in the surrounding region. Thursday night’s Kaohsiung quakes and Friday’s Tainan tremor are considered part of this aftershock sequence.

He reminded the public that stress adjustments in the area will likely continue, and small earthquakes may still occur. Residents are urged to remain vigilant and observe earthquake safety measures.