The 2006 Hengchun earthquake occurred on Tuesday December 26, 2006 at 12:25 UTC (20:25 local time), with an epicenter off the southwest coast of Taiwan, approximately 22.8 km west southwest of Hengchun, Pingtung County, Taiwan, with an exact hypocenter 21.9 km deep in the Luzon Strait (21°53′N 120°34′E / 21.89°N 120.56°E / 21.89; 120.56), which connects the South China Sea with the Philippine Sea.
There are conflicting reports of the magnitude of the quake, with the Republic of China's Central Weather Bureau marking it at 7.0 ML, the United States Geological Survey estimating it at 7.1 Mw, the Hong Kong Observatory, and the Japan Meteorological Agency put the magnitude at 7.2 Mw. The earthquake not only caused casualties and building damages, but also damaged several undersea cables, disrupting telecommunication services in various parts of Asia. Coincidentally, the earthquake occurred on the second anniversary of the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake that devastated the coastal communities across Southeast and South Asia and 3rd anniversary of the 2003 earthquake that devastated the southern Iranian city of Bam.
Read more about 2006 Hengchun Earthquake: Aftershocks, Disruption in Communications, Repair Work
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