Taiwan has been hit with a 7.4 earthquake just off its shore this morning – the strongest quake to hit the island in 25 years.
The quake hit at 07.58 at a depth of 15.5km just off the eastern coast of Taiwan, according to Taiwan’s Central Weather Administration, knocking out power in several parts of the city. Tsunami warnings issued earlier for the islands of southern Japan and the Philippines have also been lifted.
The Taipei city government has not received any reports of damage, and the city’s MRT was up and running soon after.
Taiwan’s high speed rail operator said no damage or injuries were reported on its trains, but added that trains will be delayed while it carries out inspections; while Taipei residents have been advised to check for any gas leaks.
Taipei’s Central Weather Administration’s Seismology Centre has warned that earthquakes with magnitude of 6.5 to 7 may still occur in three days.
Meanwhile, neighbouring countries Japan and the Philippines have also been affected.
Japan issued an evacuation advisory for the coastal areas of the southern prefecture of Okinawa. The Japan Meteorological Agency placed the quake magnitude at 7.5, with reports of a 30cm tsunami that reached Yonaguni island under two hours after the quake hit Taiwan’s coast.
At press time, no casualties or damage have been reported in Japan and the tsunami warnings for Japan have been downgraded to an advisory. Flights, which were temporarily suspended at Okinawa’s main airport, have now resumed.
Philippine residents across the provinces of Batanes Group of Islands, Cagayan, Ilocos Norte and Isabela have been urged to evacuate to higher ground; while in mainland China, it was reported that the quake was felt in Shanghai, Fuzhou, Xiamen, Quanzhou and Ningde in China’s Fujian province.
The first phase development of Indonesia’s new National Capital City (IKN) is on target and president Joko Widodo is expected to inaugurate it on August 17, which is also Indonesia’s independence day, according to IKN Authority.
IKN’s phase one comprises basic infrastructure, the presidential palace and various buildings, which are now 75 per cent completed at an investment of 49.6 trillion rupiah (US$3.2 billion).
Speaking at the Development of Tourism and Creative Economic Sector at IKN media briefing, Sandiaga Uno, minister of tourism and creative economy, said six hotels were currently under construction, including a mid-scale property, The Vasanta Hotel by Sirius Surya Sentosa (Vasanta Group), and an upscale Nusantara Hotel by the Nusantara Consortium, with an investment value of 20 trillion rupiah. Both are scheduled to open later in August.
Pakuwon Nusantara Abadi is developing Pakuwon Nusantara Area, a super-block project comprising a shopping centre, condominium, and three hotels, with an investment of five trillion rupiah. The hotels, which will open in stages, will bear The Westin, Four Points, and Tribute Portfolio brands.
In the meantime, ARCS House Wisata Indonesia is investing around 300 billion rupiah in the development of an upscale Jambuluwuk Nusantara Hotel, which will have around 200 rooms.
Sandiaga expected more investments to come for economy and budget properties.
He added that tourism and creative economic development at IKN will be sustainable.
He remarked: “We will encourage accommodation developments to blend more with (the surrounding) tropical forest. Later, there will be more glamping facilities, cabins, and facilities related to ecotourism.”
The ecotourism concept is suitable for IKN in maintaining the environment and protecting forested areas, of which 75 per cent will remain and the rest cleared for facilities, he explained.
“There are interesting tourist villages and attractions to be developed around IKN, such as Mentawir Tourism Village, Pampang Cultural Village, Balikpapan Botanical Gardens, Tanah Merah Beach, and Bangkirai Hill,” he shared, adding that a tourism information centre, food kiosks, plazas and other supporting facilities will also be built with the government’s Special Allocation Fund.
“We want to strengthen the tourism destination governance network involving the city of Balikpapan and Kutai Kertanegara Regency.”