A Z2 assessment of the 7.4-magnitude Hualien quake and the suppliers in its path
A 7.4-magnitude earthquake, the strongest to hit Taiwan in 25 years, struck off the island's east coast near Hualien. With over 500 manufacturers based in Taiwan, Z2 mapped components to their production sites and graded supplier risk by distance from the epicenter.
A 7.4-magnitude earthquake struck off Taiwan's east coast at 7:58 a.m. local time near Hualien City, killing nine people and injuring more than 1,000. It was the strongest quake to shake the island since the 7.3-magnitude 921 Jiji earthquake in 1999. Officials described the energy as equivalent to around 32 Hiroshima atomic bombs. Tsunami warnings issued across Taiwan, Japan, and the Philippines were later lifted.
7.4
magnitude near Hualien City
308,242
households & businesses lost power
100+
buildings damaged
25 yrs
strongest quake since 1999
Railway operations and sections of the Suhua Highway were blocked by rockfall. No bullet trains were reaching the east coast; maritime shuttles and added flights between Su'ao and Hualien ports filled the gap, strained by demand ahead of the Tomb Sweeping Festival.
Hualien Port suffered severe damage. A broken mooring rope at Pier 25 caused a ship to crash into the pier; inspections found potential oil pipe ruptures at Pier 18 and broken wharves at Piers 20 and 21. The port was closed.
Some 308,242 households and businesses lost power following the quake. Hualien saw the highest impact, though Taichung City on the western side also experienced serious disruptions. Taipower crews rushed to restore service.
More than 100 buildings were damaged according to the National Fire Agency, with pictures showing structures tilted or collapsed. About half of the damaged buildings were in Hualien County, nearest the epicenter.
Hualien, Yilan, and Miaoli experienced the highest shaking intensity, with significant damage and disruption. Major western manufacturing hubs including Hsinchu, Taichung, and Taipei recorded slightly lower intensity but still endured considerable consequences.
| Region | Intensity | Impact |
|---|---|---|
| Hualien | 6+ | High |
| Yilan | 5+ | High |
| Miaoli | 5+ | High |
| Taichung City | 5- | High |
| Changhua | 5- | High |
| Hsinchu | 5- | High |
| Nantou | 5- | High |
| Taoyuan City | 5- | High |
| New Taipei City | 5- | High |
| Taipei City | 5- | High |
| Taitung / Chiayi / Yunlin | 4 | Medium |
| Kaohsiung / Tainan / Keelung | 4 | Medium |
| Penghu / Lienchiang / Kinmen | 3–1 | Low |
Intensity per Taiwan's Central Weather Administration.
Over 500 manufacturers are based in Taiwan, many still assessing the impact on their facilities. Below is a summary of statements released by manufacturing companies following the Hualien earthquake.
| Company | Reported status |
|---|---|
| TSMC | Suspended operations; evacuated staff from Hsinchu facilities. Reports of damage at some fabs; halted construction on new sites for safety inspection. |
| UMC, PSMC & Innolux | Halted some production lines in Hsinchu Science Park as a preventive step. |
| Largan Precision & GSEO | Optoelectronics production capacity unaffected; lines operating normally. |
| Unimicron | PCB / IC substrate losses still being assessed; emergency evacuations, no major injuries reported. |
| Micron Taiwan | All staff safe; assessing impact on operations and local supply chains amid aftershocks. |
| Winbond | Memory producer reported no major impact. |
| Quanta, Wistron, Inventec & Hon Hai | No reports of disaster in domestic factories yet; production lines under inspection. |
Z2 ran a risk analysis on components manufactured in Taiwan, mapping each electronic component to its manufacturing site and categorizing disruption risk based on distance from the epicenter.
Tekcore (LEDs), Taiwan Chemi-Con (capacitors), First Resistor & Condenser (resistors), all ~60 km
Greatek Electronics (IC assembly & test), TSMC Fab 15, Lingsen Precision (IC packaging), Taiwan Semiconductor Co.
TSMC (all fabs), ASE, UMC (all fabs), Samtec, Vishay, Yageo, Brighttek, Eaton
Affected suppliers by impact grade
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