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(Central News Agency reporter Hong Sujin, Taipei, 25th) Aftershocks continue to occur in Hualien. Some reports quoted experts saying that the Milun Fault has a high probability of dislocation in the future, and the maximum magnitude can reach 8. The Fact Checking Center verified this and stated that the Milun Fault in Hualien The length is not long, and it is impossible for an earthquake above magnitude 8 to occur.
Taiwan has been experiencing frequent earthquakes recently, with Hualien being the hardest hit. In addition to building collapses, damaged roads, and even casualties, some reports quoted experts describing, “The most terrifying Ryukyu Trench seismic zone, this one has a mil-long earthquake zone.” Ma Guofeng, chief scientist of the Taiwan Earthquake Science Center, estimates that the probability of fault movement in the future is as high as 88%, and the maximum size can reach more than 8, so we must not ignore it.”
After verification by the Fact Checking Center, it was found that this statement was pieced together from an interview about the Milon Fault Optical Fiber Study (MiDAS) in 2022 and had nothing to do with this earthquake.
In addition, Ma Guofeng also pointed out in a Facebook post: “It is impossible to have a magnitude 8 earthquake in Taiwan because the faults in our (Taiwan) island are not that long.” He also clarified that the original conversation was not about Milun. Fault, but talking about the 1920 Ryukyu Trench earthquake.
The Fact Checking Center asked Huang Xinhua, an associate researcher at the Institute of Earth Sciences of Academia Sinica, for confirmation. He said: “The magnitude of the earthquake is related to the length of the fault. The Hualien Milun Fault is not long, and it is impossible for an earthquake above magnitude 8 to occur. Even if the entire fault zone is Broken, at most a magnitude 6 earthquake will occur.”
Huang Xinhua further explained that what researcher Ma Guofeng mentioned was the Ryukyu Trench in the 1920s. Since the Ryukyu Trench is very long, if the entire fault is really broken and dislocated, an earthquake with a magnitude of 8.0 or above is possible, but it is definitely not the Milun fault. (Editor: Long Baian) 1130425
Original text from “Taiwan Fact Checking Center”: https://tfc-taiwan.org.tw/articles/10515
