On Thursday Morning a Shallow M5.1 Earthquake struck near Tainan in Taiwan.

Written by Earthquakelist.org on January 30th, 2025.

In the morning of Thursday January 30th, 2025, a shallow and significant MAG-5.1 earthquake hit under land 43 kilometer from Tainan in Taiwan. The earthquake struck near a very densely populated region. Roughly 17 million people may have felt this earthquake. Another country near the epicenter is China.

Earthquake Summary

The earthquake struck on land in Taiwan, 43 kilometer (27 mi) east-northeast of Tainan in Tainan City. The center of this earthquake had a very shallow depth of 10 km. Shallow earthquakes usually have a larger impact than earthquakes deep in the earth.

Date and Time:	Jan 30, 2025 10:11 (Taipei Time) - Jan 30, 2025 02:11 Universal Time.
Location:	43 km ENE of Tainan, Tainan City, Taiwan. Coordinates 23°10'21"N 120°34'47"E.
Map:	Map of area around epicenter. Click to open in Google Maps.
Magnitude:	MAG 5.1 Detected by 13 stations. Maximum Error Range ±0.086 .
Depth:	10 km (6 mi) A very shallow depth.
Max. Intensity:	VI Strong On the Modified Mercalli Scale.
Tsunami Risk:	Tsunami very unlikely While this was a shallow earthquake, it appears to have occurred under land with a magnitude not strong enough to cause tsunami's. Always stay cautious - More info here.

Minimal impact predicted

Based on scientific estimates by the US Geographic Survey (USGS), the risk of high fatalities for this earthquake is classified at level GREEN (low). They expect an 65% likelyhood of between 0 and 1 fatalities, and a 96% chance that the number of fatalities falls no higher than 10.

The USGS classifies the economic impact of this earthquake at level GREEN (low). They expect an 65% likelyhood of between 0 and 1 million US Dollars in economic damage and impact, and a 96% chance that the economic impact of this earthquake falls no higher than 10 million USD.

Roughly 17 million people exposed to shaking

This earthquake may have been felt by around 17 million people. That is the expected population size of the area exposed to a level of shaking of II or higher on the Modified Mercalli scale according to the USGS.

The highest earthquake impact level for this earthquake is V, which corresponds with moderate shaking and very light damage. Roughly 14,780 people are expected to be exposed to this level. Intensity level IV was experienced by a large group of people (around 6.7 million). In their region, light shaking and likely no damage can be expected.

People in 4 countries have been exposed to shaking. In Taiwan , around 16 million people, with impact levels up to V (moderate shaking, very light damage). In China , around 1.1 million people.

People	MMI Level	Shaking	Damage
40,620	I	Not noticable	None
4,118,000	II	Very weak	None
6,170,000	III	Weak	Probably none
6,693,000	IV	Light	Likely none
14,780	V	Moderate	Very light
0	VI	Strong	Light
0	VII	Very Strong	Moderate
0	VIII	Severe	Moderate to heavy
0	IX	Violent	Heavy
0	X	Extreme	Very heavy

Nearby towns and cities

This earthquake struck within proximity of multiple countries. Taiwan and China are both within 300km distance of its epicenter.

The closest significant population center near the earthquake is Yujing in Tainan City, Taiwan. Yujing is located 13 kilometer (8 mi) east-northeast of the epicenter. Yujing experienced an earthquake intensity (MMI Scale) of roughly IV. That level implies light shaking and likely no damage.

Multiple major population centers exist within 300km of the earthquake that struck today. Taipei is located 230 km to the north-northeast (intensity unknown, possibly low). Kaohsiung is located 68 km to the south-southwest and experienced an intensity of IV (light shaking, likely no damage). Tainan is located 43 km to the west-southwest and experienced an intensity of IV (light shaking, likely no damage).

The table below provides an overview of all places in proximity of today's earthquake. Where available, the estimated intensity on the Modified Mercalli Intensity Scale in each place is included. Places where this information is omitted likely experienced little impact.

Overview of nearby places

Cities and Towns around the epicenter of this earthquake.
Distance	Place	Intensity (MMI)
13 km (8 mi) WSW from epicenter	Yujing Tainan City, Taiwan.	IV Light
43 km (27 mi) WSW from epicenter	Tainan Tainan City, Taiwan.	IV Light
60 km (37 mi) N from epicenter	Douliu Yunlin County, Taiwan.	IV Light
66 km (41 mi) NNE from epicenter	Lugu Nantou County, Taiwan.	III Weak
68 km (42 mi) SSW from epicenter	Kaohsiung Kaohsiung, Taiwan.	IV Light
80 km (50 mi) S from epicenter	Donggang Pingtung County, Taiwan.	IV Light
83 km (52 mi) N from epicenter	Nantou Nantou County, Taiwan.	III Weak
87 km (54 mi) N from epicenter	Yuanlin Changhua County, Taiwan.	IV Light
88 km (55 mi) N from epicenter	Zhongxing New Village Nantou County, Taiwan.	III Weak
97 km (60 mi) NNE from epicenter	Puli Nantou County, Taiwan.	III Weak
109 km (68 mi) N from epicenter	Taichung Taichung City, Taiwan.	III Weak
110 km (68 mi) WNW from epicenter	Magong Penghu County , Taiwan.	III Weak
131 km (81 mi) S from epicenter	Hengchun Pingtung County, Taiwan.	III Weak
138 km (86 mi) NE from epicenter	Hualien City Hualien County, Taiwan.	III Weak
186 km (116 mi) NNE from epicenter	Hsinchu Hsinchu County, Taiwan.	II Weak
204 km (127 mi) NNE from epicenter	Daxi Taoyuan City , Taiwan.	II Weak
213 km (132 mi) NE from epicenter	Yilan Yilan County, Taiwan.	III Weak
215 km (134 mi) NNE from epicenter	Taoyuan City Taoyuan City , Taiwan.
224 km (139 mi) NNE from epicenter	Banqiao New Taipei City, Taiwan.
230 km (143 mi) NNE from epicenter	Taipei Taipei City, Taiwan.
247 km (153 mi) NNE from epicenter	Keelung Keelung, Taiwan.
270 km (168 mi) WNW from epicenter	Jincheng Fukien, Taiwan.
274 km (170 mi) NW from epicenter	Jinjiang Fujian, China.
277 km (172 mi) NW from epicenter	Luoyang Fujian, China.	II Weak
280 km (174 mi) NW from epicenter	Quanzhou Fujian, China.
293 km (182 mi) WNW from epicenter	Xiamen Fujian, China.
293 km (182 mi) NNW from epicenter	Jiangkou Fujian, China.
298 km (185 mi) NNW from epicenter	Putian Fujian, China.

Earthquake Intensity Map

The intensity in shaking and damage by this earthquake is illustrated through the map below. The highest intensity measured for this earthquake is V.

I Not felt

II Weak

III Weak

IV Light

V Moderate

VI Strong

VII Very Strong

VIII Severe

IX Violent

X Extreme

Earthquake Intensity Map based on Shakemap Data provided by USGS.

Shaking reported by 26 people in 2 countries

People that feel an earthquake may report their experience to the US Geographic Survey. Currently, 26 people have reported shaking in 18 places in 2 countries (Taiwan, China).We keep updating this article as more ground reports become available. You may report that you felt this earthquake here.

Places with most reports:

Tainan, Tainan Shih, Taiwan: 4 people.
Taichung, Taichung Shih, Taiwan: 3 people.
Fengshan, Kaohsiung Hsien, Taiwan: 3 people.
Pingtung, Pingtung, Taiwan: 2 people.
Changhwa, Changhwa, Taiwan: 1 person.
Peikang, Yunlin, Taiwan: 1 person.
Sanchung, Taipei Hsien, Taiwan: 1 person.
Paiho, Tainan Hsien, Taiwan: 1 person.
Hsinying, Tainan Hsien, Taiwan: 1 person.
Chiali, Tainan Hsien, Taiwan: 1 person.

3 Aftershocks detected

This main shock was followed by 3 smaller aftershocks. At a distance of 1.4 km (0.9 mi) north-east of this earthquake, an aftershock struck 5 hrs later. It measured a magnitude of 4.8

This main shock was prefaced by 1 smaller foreshock. A 4.2 magnitude earthquake hit 2 days earlier nearby.

Overview of foreshocks and aftershocks

Detected MAG2.5+ earthquakes within within 100km (62 mi), that occurred in the three days before and after the main shock.
Classification	Magnitude	When	Where
Foreshock	M 4.2	2 days earlier Jan 28, 2025 07:23 (Taipei Time)	10 km (6 mi) WNW from Main Shock.
Main Shock This Earthquake	M 5.1	Jan 30, 2025 10:11 (Taipei Time)	-
Aftershock	M 4.3	3 mins later Jan 30, 2025 10:15 (Taipei Time)	10 km (6 mi) N from Main Shock.
Aftershock	M 4.0	5 hrs later Jan 30, 2025 14:49 (Taipei Time)	12 km (7 mi) NW from Main Shock.
Aftershock	M 4.8	5 hrs later Jan 30, 2025 15:16 (Taipei Time)	1.4 km (0.9 mi) NE from Main Shock.

More earthquakes coming?

Aftershocks are usually at least 1 order of magnitude less strong than main shocks. The more time passes, the smaller the chance and likely strength of any potential aftershocks.

It's always adviced to be cautious of the risk of a larger shock following any significant earthquake, however this risk is fairly small. There is a roughly 94 percent change that no larger main shock will follow in the days following this earthquake.

Read: How to Stay Safe during an Earthquake (cdc.gov).

Earthquakes like this happen often in the region

Earthquakes of this strength are very common in the region. This is the strongest earthquake to hit since January 25th, 2025, when a 5.2 magnitude earthquake hit 17 km (11 mi) further west-southwest. An even stronger magnitude 7.4 earthquake struck on April 2nd, 2024.

In total, 135 earthquakes with a magnitude of 5.1 or higher have been registered within 300km (186 mi) of this epicenter in the past 10 years. This comes down to an average of once every 27 days.

Tsunami very unlikely

DISCLAIMER: We strongly suggest to closely monitor advice from local authorities with regards to tsunami risks. Our analysis is based on automatically collected data from external sources, and these might contain mistakes. In addition, earthquakes can cause landslides that may lead to a tsunami, or be a followed by another, potentially stonger, earthquake.

While MAG-6.5+ earthquakes may cause tsunami's, it appears that the epicenter of this earthquake hit under land. In addition, the reported depth is deeper than 100km, making the risk of a tsunami even less likely. However always stay cautious and monitor advice from local authorities.

Tsunami Risk Factors

Factor	Under Sea?	MAG-6.5 or stronger?	Shallow depth?
Explanation	Almost all tsunami's are caused by earthquakes with their epicenter under sea or very near the sea. However stay cautious in coastal areas as earthquakes on land may cause landslides into sea, potentially still causing a local tsunami.	Under MAG 6.5: Very unlikely to cause a tsunami. MAG 6.5 to 7.5: Destructive tsunami's do occur, but are uncommon. Likely to observe small sea level changes. MAG 7.6+: Earthquakes with these magnitudes might produce destructive tsunami's.	Most destructive tsunami's are caused by shallow earthquakes with a depth between 0 and 100km under the surface of the earth. Deeper tsunami's are unlikely to displace to ocean floor.
This Earthquake	Not this earthquake. This earthquake appears to have struck on land far from any coast.	Not this earthquake. This earthquake had a magnitude of 5.1. Earthquakes of this strength are unlikely to trigger a tsunami.	This earthquake occurred at a depth of of 10 km (6 mi). Earthquakes this shallow could trigger a tsunami.

Sources

Last updated 30/01/25 16:38 (). This article contains currently available information about the earthquake and is automatically composed. We continue to update this article up to a few days after the earthquake occurred.