Taiwan hit by strongest earthquake in 25 years; 4 dead and dozens injured: Updates

Editor's Note: This page is a summary of news on the Taiwan earthquake for Tuesday, April 2. For the latest news on the quake, please see today's live file for Wednesday, April 3 .

A powerful 7.4 magnitude earthquake rocked Taiwan on Wednesday, the strongest tremor to hit the island in at least 25 years, killing at least four people, injuring dozens, and sparking nearby Japan to issue a brief evacuation advisory for coastal areas.

The quake hit shortly before 8 a.m. local time, according to Taiwan's Central Weather Administration. The quake's epicenter was located about 11 miles south of the coastal city of Hualien, about 96 miles southeast of Taipei.

Taiwan's government said four people had died in Hualien County and more than 50 people were injured. At least 26 buildings have collapsed and about 20 people were trapped, according to Taiwan’s national fire agency.

Rescue operations are ongoing, and aftershocks have caused residents to flee their homes and remain outside, Taiwan’s official central news agency reported.

Footage from Taiwan television stations showed collapsed buildings in Hualien with some leaning at an angle. Taiwan's Central Weather Administration gave the quake a magnitude of 7.2 while the USGS recorded it at 7.4 with a depth of about 22 miles.

The United States Geological Survey recorded numerous aftershocks in the same region, including one with a magnitude of 6.5. Taiwan's Central Weather Administration said it recorded more than 25 aftershocks.

Rescue and recovery efforts underway

The strong quake rocked Taipei, knocking out power in several parts of the city. Taipower, the state-owned electricity operator, said more than 87,000 homes in Taiwan were still without power.

Taiwan’s President Tsai Ing-wen said the military will be deployed to help with rescue and recovery operations.

"The national military will meet the needs of local governments and provide support to ensure the safety of the lives and property of the citizens," she said in a statement posted on Facebook.

Taiwan, Japan, and the Philippines have all canceled their tsunami warnings. The Japan Meteorological Agency had issued a brief evacuation advisory for coastal areas in Okinawa, where several small tsunami waves were reported.

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There was no tsunami threat to Hawaii or the U.S. Pacific territory of Guam, according to the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center. And no tsunami threat was expected for the west coast of North America, the U.S. National Tsunami Warning Center said.

Chinese state media reported that the quake was felt in several cities in the Fujian province, a coastal province in southeastern China. The Taipei city government said there were no immediate reports of damage and the city's metro system was up and running soon after.

The quake was the largest to hit the island since 1999 when a 7.6 magnitude tremor killed around 2,400 people, according to Taiwan’s official central news agency. The island is regularly hit by earthquakes due to its location in the "Ring of Fire," a path of active volcanoes and sites of seismic activity in the Pacific Ocean where a majority of earthquakes occur.

Contributing: Reuters

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Taiwan earthquake: Massive trembler sparks tsunami warnings