According to authorities, at least seven individuals have tragically lost their lives, with 77 people trapped in tunnels and collapsed structures, and over 700 individuals sustaining injuries as a result of the quake.

The earthquake, which struck on Wednesday morning, registered a magnitude of 7.2, as reported by Taiwan’s Central Weather Administration (CWA). The epicenter of the quake was determined to be extremely shallow and in close proximity to land, attributed to movements within the Philippine Sea plate.

CWA highlighted that the seismic event was particularly intense in Taipei, the capital of Taiwan, due to the "basin effect," where seismic waves become trapped in soft ground.

Taiwan, situated along the Pacific Ring of Fire, a zone notorious for frequent seismic activity, is no stranger to earthquakes. The CWA warned of potential aftershocks ranging between magnitudes 6.5 and 7 over the next four days.

Reports and visuals emerging after the earthquake depict scenes of tilted buildings, with rescue operations underway as rescuers employ ladders to assist trapped individuals. Some subway systems were briefly shuttered due to the quake, and over 87,000 households experienced power outages, according to the island’s electricity provider.

This recent quake surpasses the intensity of Taiwan's previous devastating earthquake in 1999, which recorded a magnitude of 7.7. The 1999 quake resulted in approximately 2,400 fatalities, left around 100,000 injured, and caused extensive destruction to thousands of buildings, marking it as one of the island's worst natural disasters in recent history.