PAGER - M 5.6 - TAIWAN
Alert Version: 3Thursday, November 5th, 2009 at 09:32:55 UTCLocation: 23.6° N, 120.7° EDepth: 12kmEvent Id: US2009NQAQCreated: 10 hours, 10 minutes after earthquake.
Overall, the population in this region resides in structures that are a mix of vulnerable and earthquake resistant construction. A magnitude 5.7 earthquake 13 km South of this one struck Taiwan, Province of China on July 17, 1998 (UTC), with estimated population exposures of 1,000 at intensity VII and 639,000 at intensity VI, resulting in an estimated 5 fatalities. On September 20, 1999 (UTC), a magnitude 7.6 earthquake 31 km Northeast of this one struck Chi Chi, Taiwan, with estimated population exposures of 1,986,000 at intensity IX or greater and 2,707,000 at intensity VIII, resulting in an estimated 2,489 fatalities. Recent earthquakes in this area have caused landslides that may have contributed to losses.
Overall, the population in this region resides in structures that are a mix of vulnerable and earthquake resistant construction. A magnitude 5.7 earthquake 13 km South of this one struck Taiwan, Province of China on July 17, 1998 (UTC), with estimated population exposures of 1,000 at intensity VII and 639,000 at intensity VI, resulting in an estimated 5 fatalities. On September 20, 1999 (UTC), a magnitude 7.6 earthquake 31 km Northeast of this one struck Chi Chi, Taiwan, with estimated population exposures of 1,986,000 at intensity IX or greater and 2,707,000 at intensity VIII, resulting in an estimated 2,489 fatalities. Recent earthquakes in this area have caused landslides that may have contributed to losses.
Exposure Summary
Estimated Population Exposed to Earthquake Shaking
| Est. Modified Mercalli Intensity | Est. Population Exposure | Perceived Shaking | Potential Structure Damage | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Resistant | Vulnerable | |||
| X | 0 | Extreme | V. Heavy | V. Heavy |
| IX | 0 | Violent | Heavy | V. Heavy |
| VIII | 0 | Severe | Moderate/Heavy | Heavy |
| VII | 0 | Very Strong | Moderate | Moderate/Heavy |
| VI | 0 | Strong | Light | Moderate |
| V | 489k | Moderate | V. Light | Light |
| IV | 5,758k | Light | none | none |
| II-III | 17,863k* | Weak | none | none |
| I | --* | Not Felt | none | none |
*Estimated exposure only includes population within calculated shake map area
| Population Exposure Population per ~1 sq. km. from LandScan  | Selected Cities Exposed
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Shaking Intensity  |
Full City Exposure List
| MMI | City | Population |
|---|---|---|
| V | Yun-lin | 105k |
| IV | T'ai-chung-shih | 1,041k |
| III | Tainan City | 764k |
| II | Kaohsiung City | 1,510k |
| II | Kao-hsiung | 1,520k |
| II | Ta-hsi-chen | 85k |
| II | Dazuo | 10k |
| II | Dongling | 4k |
| II | Jingfeng | 3k |
| II | Putian | 377k |
| II | Hualian | 350k |
| II | Tuzhai | 6k |
| II | Shanxia | 3k |
| II | Taipei | 7,872k |
| II | Chi-lung | 398k |
PAGER results are generally available on the Internet within 30 minutes of the earthquake’s occurrence. However, information on the extent of shaking will be uncertain in the minutes and hours following and earthquake and typically improves as additional sensor data and reported intensities are acquired and incorporated into models of the earthquake's source. Users of PAGER estimates should account for uncertainty and always seek the most current PAGER release for any earthquake.
