Taiwan is one of Asia’s most underrated travel destinations, with a magnetic capital city in Taipei and a stunning mountainous landscape. Located at the crossover of the South and East China Sea, the island nation offers travellers a long list of adventures.
However, Taiwan experienced the strongest earthquake in 25 years earlier this month, as a 7.4 magnitude quake struck the east coast of the island on April 3. It was also felt in southern Japan, eastern China and the Philippines.
Just over two weeks on, more than 200 aftershock tremors were felt throughout the night on April 23. Here is what we know so far about travelling to Taiwan in the wake of the latest earthquakes.
Is it safe to travel to Taiwan?
Travelling to the country has not been officially advised against and no casualties were reported after the tremors early this morning. Schools and offices closed on Tuesday in Hualien, which was at the epicentre of the quakes. One of the more than 200 tremors felt last night had a magnitude of 6.1. It struck at 2.30am local time, but the aftershocks reportedly continued through the night and caused buildings to sway, according to Al Jazeera.
Where was impacted by the earthquake?
The epicentre of the original earthquake was around 18km south of Hualien, with the surrounding county being the worst-hit area, according to local officials.
Today’s aftershocks were again centred around Hualien on the east coast and caused buildings across large parts of northern, eastern and western Taiwan to shake. A 5.8 tremor was also felt in the capital of Taipei at 8am local time this morning.
How close is Taiwan to Japan?
Taiwan and Japan are 2,163km apart. While this might sound like a long distance, tsunamis have been known to travel up to 5,000km, and small tsunami waves were experienced on the coasts of Japan’s Miyako and Yaeyama islands after the initial April 3 quake.
What’s the latest UK Foreign Office advice?
The UK Foreign Office updated its Taiwan travel advice page on April 3, stating: ‘On Wednesday 3 April 2024 at 07.58 local time, a magnitude 7.2 earthquake struck Eastern Taiwan with shocks felt all across the island including Taipei. Aftershocks continue to occur and you should expect travel disruption. You should consult the Central Weather Administration website and other official sources for more information.’
What are your rights if you’ve booked a trip?
Until the UK Foreign Office issues advice against all but essential travel to Taiwan, it’s unlikely you’ll be able to cancel your travel plans without any penalties. To see what can be done, it’d be best to contact your accommodation, flight or trip provider.
Have flights to Taiwan and Japan been cancelled?
So far, there’s no news of flights to either Taiwan or Japan being cancelled, but just to be sure, it’s best to check with your airline directly if you have one booked.
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