Meanwhile, Philippines also warned of “high tsunami waves” and called for the evacuation of coastal areas across the country.
The agency forecasted tsunami waves reaching the heights of up to three meters (10 feet) imminently for distant Japanese islands close to Taiwan, such as Miyakojima island.
In the sparsely populated area of Hualien, a five-story building sustained significant damage, with its first floor collapsing and the remainder tilting at a 45-degree angle. Meanwhile, in Taipei, the capital city, older buildings experienced tile falls, while some newer office complexes were also affected.
Tsunami alert: Flights suspended in Japan airport
Flights were suspended at the main airport in Japan’s southern region of Okinawa on Wednesday due to a tsunami alert triggered by an earthquake in Taiwan.
Operations at Naha Airport were suspended from 9:25 am local time (0025 GMT) as a precautionary measure, a transport ministry official stationed at the airport told AFP, adding that “incoming flights need to divert”.
According to the United States Geological Survey (USGS), the earthquake measured 7.4 on the magnitude scale. Its epicenter was located 18 kilometers south of Hualien City in Taiwan, with a depth of 34.8 kilometers.