Two earthquakes shook Taiwan’s eastern coast early Tuesday local time, one offshore with a magnitude of 6.1 and another with a magnitude of 6.0 a few minutes later near Hualien City, according to the United States Geological Survey.
The quakes hit near an area where buildings were damaged by an earthquake earlier this month.
As seismologists review available data, they may revise the earthquakes’ reported magnitude. Additional information collected about the earthquake may also prompt U.S.G.S. scientists to update the shake-severity map.
Aftershocks in the region
An aftershock is usually a smaller earthquake that follows a larger one in the same general area. Aftershocks are typically minor adjustments along the portion of a fault that slipped at the time of the initial earthquake.
Aftershocks can occur days, weeks or even years after the first earthquake. These events can be of equal or larger magnitude to the initial earthquake, and they can continue to affect already damaged locations.