A 6.6-magnitude earthquake struck the waters off Yilan County, Taiwan, at 23:05 Saturday (Beijing Time), according to the China Earthquake Networks Center (CENC).
The epicenter was monitored at 24.67 degrees north latitude and 122.06 degrees east longitude. The earthquake struck at a depth of 60 km, the center said.
The quake was felt across Taiwan, with buildings shaking noticeably. No reports of casualties or property damage have been released so far.
A China Media Group (CMG) reporter in Taipei reported feeling strong tremors when the quake struck. Lights inside his room swayed violently, while doors and windows rattled during the shaking. He later moved to a shelter.
As of midnight Sunday, rail services in parts of Taiwan were slowed or suspended as a precaution. No abnormalities have been reported at the island’s three nuclear power plants.
Fire departments said they received two reports of people trapped due to the earthquake and had dispatched rescue teams.
In Yilan County, the area closest to the epicenter, local authorities issued alerts warning of possible aftershocks and urged residents to evacuate immediately if they found structural damage to their homes.
6.6-magnitude quake hits waters off Taiwan: CENC
Somalia condemned Israel's recognition of Somaliland, a self-declared region of Somalia, as an independent state, and reaffirmed the country's unity and territorial integrity.
Somaliland declared "independence" from Somalia in the 1990s but has never received recognition from the international community.
Somaliland is an integral, inseparable, and inalienable part of the sovereign territory of the Federal Republic of Somalia, the Somalian Prime Minister's Office said in a statement on Friday, rejecting Israel's recognition as unlawful.
Somalia makes clear that it will not permit the establishment of any foreign military bases or arrangements on its territory that would draw Somalia into proxy conflicts or import regional and international hostilities into this region.
Moreover, countries including Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Qatar, Iran, Türkiye, Pakistan, Libya, and Nigeria, along with international organizations including the African Union, Arab League, Gulf Cooperation Council, and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, have condemned Israel's recognition of Somaliland. They said that Israel's actions pose a serious threat to international peace and security, violate the United Nations Charter and international law, and represent a blatant interference in Somalia's internal affairs. All parties firmly reject and condemn Israel's statement, reaffirming their unwavering support for Somalia's unity, sovereignty, and territorial integrity.
Ali Omar, Somalia's state minister for foreign affairs, told Al Jazeera on Saturday that Israel's behavior is intolerable and demanded Israel withdraw the recognition. He asserted that the Somali government would utilize all diplomatic means necessary to counter Israel's interference in its domestic matters.
Omar emphasized that it is widely recognized that Israel's recognition of Somaliland aims to forcibly relocate Palestinians from Gaza.
In the wake of the recent Israel-Palestine conflict, Israel has sought ways to displace Palestinians from Gaza. A report from the Associated Press in March indicated that the U.S. and Israel had contacted Somaliland with proposals to settle displaced Gazans in the area, promising support in terms of finances, diplomacy, and security. Such actions have faced backlash from both the Palestine and the international community, which views forced displacement of Palestinians from Gaza as contrary to the two-state solution, a violation of international law, and tantamount to crimes against humanity and ethnic cleansing.
Somalia condemns Israel's recognition of Somaliland as independent state
