By Norma V Hansen.
Taiwan, Japan, and the Philippines have all retracted their tsunami alerts, while the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center has indicated that the risk to the USA has “largely subsided.”
Tsunami waves were detected along the shores of Taiwan and the southwestern islands of Japan following the magnitude 7.4 quake that struck Taiwan on Wednesday morning.
Nevertheless, there have been no immediate reports of any substantial damage attributed to these waves.
In Taiwan: Tsunami heights reached nearly 0.5 meters, or 1.5 feet, in Chenggong, located approximately 100 kilometers (62 miles) south of the earthquake’s epicenter.
Measured tsunami heights are determined over open waters and can be considerably greater upon reaching land.
In Japan: A 0.3-meter wave struck Okinawa Island, as confirmed by Naha airport spokesperson Hideaki Tsurodo to CNN, but no waves impacted the airport, which was promptly resumed operations.
In the Philippines: The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology reported “no significant sea level disturbances” following the earthquake.
“Thus, the impact of the tsunami alert has largely dissipated,” the institute noted.
In the US: The potential threat of a tsunami has “largely passed,” the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center stated. The update from its warning center in Honolulu mentioned that the assessment was “based on all available information.”
It also noted that minor sea level “variations” of up to 30 centimeters above and below normal tide levels might continue “over the next several hours.”
The US Tsunami Warning Center also recommended that agencies “monitor conditions along the coastline to determine if and when it is safe to resume ordinary activities.”
Tsunami waves under 0.3 meters may be observed along the coasts of Guam, Indonesia, the Northern Marianas, Palau, the Philippines, South Korea, Vietnam, and Yap, added the center.
