A 6.4-magnitude earthquake struck southern Taiwan near Chiayi city, forcing Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) to temporarily halt operations and evacuate personnel from multiple fabrication facilities.
The affected facilities include fabs in the Central Taiwan Science Park and Southern Taiwan Science Park in Chiayi County. While no injuries were reported and all personnel are safe, the earthquake disrupted production at several key manufacturing sites.
TSMC's affected facilities include Fab 18, which produces advanced 5nm and 3nm chips, Fab 6, an eight-inch fabrication facility, and Fab 15, which handles 7nm and 6nm processes. The company implemented standard emergency procedures, immediately evacuating all employees from the impacted locations.
According to TSMC, while critical equipment sustained minimal damage and over 70% of tools resumed operation shortly after the incident, some production lines will face delays due to necessary adjustments and safety inspections following the main shock and subsequent aftershocks.
The Southern Taiwan Science Park director confirmed that equipment at major plants is designed to automatically shut down during seismic events to prevent additional disruptions. The industrial zone, which includes the Tainan Industrial Park, reported no injuries among evacuated personnel.
The earthquake's epicenter was located in Dapu township, approximately six miles below the surface. Local emergency teams responded promptly to the situation, with some residents in Tainan requiring assistance due to structural damage. Several villages experienced power outages in the aftermath of the tremor.
This seismic event adds to Taiwan's history of earthquake activity, following a recent 7.2-magnitude earthquake in Hualien that resulted in 13 casualties. The island's location at the intersection of two tectonic plates makes it particularly susceptible to such natural events.