An earthquake measuring 7.5 magnitude hit off Taiwan’s eastern coast at 7.58am (23:58 GMT) and was felt in the capital Taipei as well as in southern Japan, eastern China and the Philippines.
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The Japanese Meteorological Agency (JMA) later revised the magnitude to 7.7 from 7.5. Taiwan put the magnitude at 7.2, while the USGS said it was 7.4.
Around 56 people were injured as search and rescue operations continued amid recurring aftershocks.
President Tsai Ing-wen has ordered the military to be deployed in the affected areas. "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," Tsai said in a statement on her Facebook page.
The US Geological Survey (USGS) announced that the epicenter of the quake was 18 kilometers (11 miles) south of the city of Hualien.
Authorities said that 77 people are confirmed to be trapped in tunnels and underneath buildings.
Most of them, roughly 60, are trapped in a tunnel just north of Hualien city, with two Germans among those trapped in another tunnel.
The government of Taiwan has announced that the death toll for the deadly earthquake has risen to seven. So far, more than 700 people have been injured by the quake, though the extent of the injuries suffered is not known.
Video footage from local media showed some buildings in the city collapsed due to the quake, which occurred at a depth of 34.8 kilometers (21 miles).
The CWA also issued a tsunami warning for the northern regions of the island after the quake, which also triggered landslides.
Metro lines in the capital Taipei and the Taichung and Kaohsiung areas were affected while people in coastal areas were preparing to be evacuated due to fears of high waves.
There are possibilities of recurring tremors over the next few days.
According to Nikkei Asia, Taiwan's tech companies were “racing to assess the impact.â€
The earthquake triggered small tsunami waves which reached southwestern Japan, which has now lowered an alert over high waves.
“A small tsunami reached the islands of Yonaguni, Ishigaki and Miyako in Okinawa Prefecture,†said the Japan Meteorological Agency, warning about the possibility of a larger tsunami.
Meanwhile, the Philippines Institute of Volcanology and Seismology has raised a tsunami warning over four areas in northern Luzon following the earthquake.
People in the Batanes group of islands, Cagayan, Ilocos Norte and Isabela were alerted about a possible tsunami and ordered to immediately evacuate to higher ground. ■