Scientists from the U.S. Geological Survey have been closely tracking the major earthquake that struck in Taiwan early yesterday, killing more than 1,650 people and demolishing hundreds of homes. With a magnitude of 7.6, the quake was the strongest to hit Taiwan in decades and was about the same strength as the devastating tremor that killed more than 15,000 people in Turkey last month. The earthquake has triggered a vigorous aftershock sequence with at least five events near or above magnitude 6.

The quake's epicenter was centered 90 miles south of Taipei. It struck locally about 1:47 a.m. (1:47 p.m. EDT Monday), while most of Taiwan's 22 million people were at home.

The following resources are available to provide background information relevant to this quake and other earthquakes in history. Interviews can be arranged with scientists with expertise on:

· Parameters for this event;
· General geology and seismology;
· Historical earthquakes;
· Damage;
· Earthquake data gathering.

Other sources of information are available on the web including:

· Parameters and map for this event: http://www.usgs.gov

· Earthquake basics, historic earthquake data:

http://pubs.usgs.gov/gip/earthq1/ and http://wwwneic.cr.usgs.gov/ and http://quake.wr.usgs.gov/

· Significant earthquakes for 1999:

http://wwwneic.cr.usgs.gov/neis/eqlists/sig_1999.html

· Webcam of National Earthquake Information Center:

http://gldpsp.cr.usgs.gov/neic.shtml

As the nation's largest water, earth and biological science, and civilian mapping agency, the USGS works in cooperation with more than 2000 organizations across the country to provide reliable, impartial, scientific information to resource managers, planners, and other customers. This information is gathered in every state by USGS scientists to minimize the loss of life and property from natural disasters, to contribute to the conservation and the sound economic and physical development of the nation's natural resources, and to enhance the quality of life by monitoring water, biological, energy, and mineral resources.

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