The Taiwan Central Weather Bureau reported a Magnitude 4.7 Earthquake at a depth of 7.4 km in the countries Central Mountain Range, slightly before 0.45 am local time on Wednesday 15 January 2014 (slightly before 4.45 pm on Tuesday 14 January, GMT). There are no reports of any damage or injuries associated with this event, though it is likely to have been felt locally.
The approximate location of the 15 January 2014 Taiwan Earthquake. Google Maps.
Taiwan has a complex tectonic setting, lying on the boundary between the Eurasian and Philippine Plates, with the Eurasian Plate being subducted beneath the Philippine Plate in the South and the Philippine Plate being subducted beneath the Eurasian in the East. Subduction is not a smooth process even in simple settings, with plates typically sticking together as pressure from tectonic expansion elsewhere builds up, then suddenly breaking apart and shifting abruptly, causing Earthquakes.
See also At least one person killed by Taiwan Earthquake, At least one person dead following Magnitude 6.0 Earthquake in Taiwan, Earthquake in eastern Taiwan, Earthquake shakes south Taiwan and Mapping the subductioin zone beneath Taiwan.
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