A powerful earthquake measuring 7.0 on the Richter scale jolted northeastern Taiwan late on Saturday night, December 27, sending tremors across the island and forcing emergency evacuations at critical high-tech manufacturing sites, including those operated by the world's leading chipmaker.
Quake Details and Immediate Impact
The tremor struck at 11:05 pm local time, with its epicentre located in the waters off Yilan County. According to Taiwan's Central Weather Administration (CWA), the quake originated at a depth of 73 kilometres. The strong shaking prompted immediate safety protocols across the industrial sector.
The Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC), a global titan in contract chip manufacturing, confirmed that it had evacuated a small number of facilities within the Hsinchu science park as a precautionary measure. In a statement shared with Reuters, the company emphasised that personnel safety was its top priority, with outdoor evacuations and headcounts being conducted following standard emergency procedures. TSMC also noted that work safety systems across all its sites were functioning normally.
Risks to Precision Manufacturing and Local Aftermath
The incident highlights the acute vulnerability of the semiconductor industry to seismic events. Semiconductor fabrication requires nanometer-level precision, and even minor ground vibrations can disrupt production. Reports indicate that such tremors often necessitate hours or even days of meticulous equipment recalibration, posing a risk of supply chain delays for global electronics.
On the ground, initial assessments from the National Fire Agency and the Taipei city government revealed no immediate reports of major structural collapses or casualties. However, the Taiwan Power Company reported a brief power outage affecting more than 3,000 households in the Yilan area. Authorities have urged residents in major hubs like Taipei, Taichung, and Tainan to stay alert for potential aftershocks, though no tsunami warnings were issued.
Taiwan's Seismic History and Context
Taiwan is situated on the seismically active Pacific Ring of Fire, making it prone to earthquakes. This recent event adds to a series of tremors the island has experienced:
- December 24, 2025: A 6.1-magnitude quake shook southeastern Taitung County, with tremors felt in the capital, Taipei.
- April 2024: A massive 7.4-magnitude earthquake—the strongest in 25 years—struck Hualien, causing significant localised destruction.
- 1999: A devastating 7.3-magnitude quake claimed over 2,000 lives, marking one of the deadliest in the island's history.
The swift response to the latest quake underscores the improved disaster preparedness protocols in place, especially for protecting the critical infrastructure that supports the global technology supply chain. The world will be watching closely as TSMC and other manufacturers assess the full impact on their sensitive production lines.
