PUBLISHED ONApril 03, 2024 4:19 AMByDrima ChakrabortyA magnitude 7.4 earthquake struck off the coast of Hualien in Taiwan at around 8am today (April 3), leading to four deaths, dozens injured as well as power outage and tsunami warnings for the southern islands of Japan and the Philippines.
It was the strongest tremor to hit Taiwan in at least 25 years.
Another two subsequent quakes, measuring 6.5 and 6 on the Richter scale were also reported, according to the National Environment Agency (NEA) in Singapore.
Among those who experienced the strong tremors and aftershocks were Singapore celebrities who live on the island and veteran actress Hong Huifang, who is currently filming there.
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Singaporean actress Yvonne Lim previously said that she is moving back home due to her and her son's fear of earthquakes, and is now worried for her children in school during the tremors this morning.
"Super big earthquake! Things falling, running in the house when the whole house is shaking so badly," she wrote on her Instagram Story.
In an update, she added: "Another one… aftershocks… Never had so much fear in my life, especially for my kids who are in school. Hope everyone is safe."
Yvonne, 47, is married to Taiwanese former singer Alex Tien and shares two children, AJ and Alexa, with him.
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Local singer-actor Huang Jinglun settled in Taiwan after appearing on the 2007 singing competition One Million Star, and is married with a son nicknamed Little Lun.
The 40-year-old posted a photo looking shocked and worried with his three-year-old on Instagram, writing: "I have been in Taiwan for so long. The magnitude of this earthquake made me feel for the first time like the building might really collapse!
"I quickly grabbed my child and ran to the top floor! How is everyone?"
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Taiwanese actress-host Kate Pang is married to Singaporean actor Andie Chen and shares two children, Aden and Avery, with him. The family relocated to Taiwan in 2020.
The 41-year-old posted a series of Instagram Stories to share the destruction caused by the earthquake on their Taiwan home. The tremors caused drawers in their home to open, the wardrobe to shift, and things to be in disarray in various rooms.
"The dishwasher was supposed to be in this corner but it became like this," Kate said in one Story, which showed the appliance in the middle of the small room instead.
Another shows a large crack in the corner of a computer screen.
She wrote in a subsequent Instagram post that she was waiting in her car at a red light when the earthquake hit, and she felt like her "car's engine was broken" with how much it was shaking. She realised it was an earthquake when she saw a building nearby shaking, and ran the red light in a bid to escape.
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"Because I didn't bring my mobile phone, I was worried about how my husband would be alone at home. Could the house collapse?" she mused. "The scenes I saw on the road were still the same. Our home should be fine!
"Were our children scared at school? Is the earthquake over? Will it get more serious later?"
Kate added that she would have been frightened even if she was at home during the earthquake, considering how their belongings fell and were in disarray, but was glad that her family and friends were all safe.
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Huifang is currently filming a horror movie in Taiwan also starring local actor Christopher Lee and was working when the earthquake hit.
"6.2-magnitude earthquake! All of us were shocked and ran out halfway during our work. It's so scary!" she can be heard saying in an Instagram Story.
The 63-year-old updated her Story, writing: "Praying there won't be any more earthquakes, hope everyone is safe. We are going to resume work."
She also explained the situation in an Instagram post, where she was met with support from local celebrities including Chen Xiuhuan, Ben Yeo, Xiang Yun and Priscelia Chan.
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Singaporean singer Kelly Poon is based in Taiwan and married to Taiwanese music producer-songwriter Roger Yo. They had their first child Keane in November last year.
In an Instagram Story, father and son can be seen lying on a bed.
Kelly wrote: "What a big earthquake, is everyone ok?"
The 40-year-old added that it was the first time she had experienced "such a big earthquake in Taiwan" and that it was scary.
"Roger immediately took Keane out of his crib to be with us, and Keane didn't cry or fuss and even smiled at us."
She added that the only things to be in disarray in their home were the clothing rack and small items, and was grateful that her "plants didn't fall".
"The aftershocks were quite strong too," she wrote. "Please be safe, everyone."
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Local singer-songwriter Tanya Chua is also based in Taiwan and the 49-year-old took to her Instagram Story to update her followers.
"I'm safe! May the universe bless us," she wrote with a prayer hands emoji.
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drimac@asiaone.com
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