A powerful 7.0-magnitude earthquake struck off Taiwan’s northeastern coast late on Saturday, shaking buildings in the capital, Taipei, and prompting temporary disruptions to transport services, authorities said.

According to Taiwan’s Central Weather Administration (CWA), the quake occurred at 11:05 p.m. local time (1505 GMT/UTC), approximately 32 kilometers (20 miles) off the coast of Yilan City. The earthquake had a depth of about 73 kilometers (45 miles).

Residents in Taipei and surrounding areas reported strong shaking, with local media showing images of toppled supermarket shelves and collapsed ceiling panels in some buildings. The government issued emergency alerts to mobile phones across affected regions shortly after the quake struck.

As a precaution, rail operators temporarily slowed some conventional and high-speed train services. Within minutes, however, Taipei’s city government said there were no immediate reports of major damage or casualties.

The quake was not strong enough to trigger a tsunami warning, the country’s fire department said, according to Reuters.

President Lai Ching-te urged the public to remain cautious, advising residents to check on family members and neighbors and warning that aftershocks could follow.

The earthquake also led to evacuations at a small number of facilities operated by Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC), the world’s largest contract chipmaker.

“Prioritising personnel safety, we are conducting outdoor evacuations and headcounts in accordance with emergency response procedures,” TSMC said in a brief statement, adding that safety systems at all facilities were functioning normally.

Taiwan plays a critical role in the global technology industry, producing the world’s most advanced semiconductors used in products ranging from smartphones to artificial intelligence systems. Any prolonged disruption to chip production could have serious repercussions for global supply chains.

Taiwan lies along the seismically active Pacific “Ring of Fire” and is frequently hit by earthquakes. In April 2024, a magnitude-7.2 quake struck the island’s east coast, killing at least 18 people and injuring more than 1,000. A devastating 7.3-magnitude earthquake in 1999 claimed more than 2,000 lives.