Massive 7.2 Magnitude Quake Hit Taiwan

[MJKlein]

I was trying to get my full 8 hours sleep, having gone to bed at midnight. At 07:59 my phone sounded a Presidential Alert and then my wife started screaming. The bed rocked so hard I had to sit up. I have never felt such a large earthquake in my 20 years here. The house was very heavily dancing around in a complex motion. It was both lateral and Z axis - very disconcerting. After checking with my wife, I found that nothing was rattled in the studio. My area was affected to magnitude 5+

I'll follow up with some photos as I acquire them from friends. In the meantime, here is the English website listing all the Taiwan earthquakes as they happen:

https://www.cwa.gov.tw/V8/E/E/index.html

This is a YouTube video from Hualian, where the effects were highest magnitude (6+):



This video shows how cool Taiwan people are. I'll try and do a rough translation for you:

The neighborhood men are searching for trapped people. They are using the term "bao bei" which means treasure and is typically a term of endearment for children. Their focus is on finding trapped children. So you'll hear them point and say things like "Is there a treasure over there?" Then the find the woman coming out:

Be careful (several people, as the woman is emerging).
Miss, are there other people?
(In the background there are other people being brought out of places off camera and some of the men are saying to exit slowly. It's unclear but there is also a woman saying "3rd floor, 3rd floor)
(As I type this I feel another aftershock!)
(Asking the man) Are there any other people?
No.
No? (reaffirming statement)
What floor are you from?
3rd floor.
3rd floor (reaffirming statement, pointing).
You came down from the 3rd floor to the 1st floor?
Yes.
(repeats) You came from the 3rd floor to the 1st floor.
The motorcycles here don't have any free space.

Followup: Another video from the same place:

[GaryH]

@MJKlein Wow, you were the first thing I thought of when I heard the news! Very scary stuff. Tsunami danger as well?? Stay safe one and all! Thinking of everyone there.

[pvannatto]

Oh my. Stay safe @MJKlein.

[MJKlein]

@MJKlein Wow, you were the first thing I thought of when I heard the news! Very scary stuff. Tsunami danger as well?? Stay safe one and all! Thinking of everyone there.

Yes, but not for the West Coast where I live.

Taiwan's Northern East Coast is a sheer wall of granite/marble about 150m high. But the south is lowlands. The real danger is for the nearby Japanese islands like Yonaguni, Taketomi, Ishagaki and Tarama. I image Batanes is also in danger.

[MJKlein]

News just said tsunami warning for Taiwan, Japan and China, possible 3m height. This is officially the largest earthquake in Taiwan history and also the largest in Asia-Pacific (so they said).

[GaryH]

@MJKlein Hope no tsunami occurs, really worrisome stuff, glad you are somewhat away from it. Still sounds scary as hell having your home shake and move. I'll take my old and boring New England version of things. Suits my old and boring version of me

[MJKlein]

At least I never have to worry about a blizzard.

The tsunami was downgraded a bit and it did hit the Okinawan islands. I didn't hear anything about the results.