Tainan, Taiwan: According to earthquaketrack.com a 6.4 magnitude earthquake struck the southern region of Taiwan at 3:57 am, local time (19:57 UTC).

earthquaketrack.com

Early reports from BBC News are that several buildings have been toppled and that rescue operations are underway.

The earthquake was reported to have been felt in the capital city of Taipei, more than 300 km away.

We have been attempting contact with local leadership and will add updates on the status of our church members as information is received.

The Church of the Nazarene has 43 organized churches and more than 3,000 members in Taiwan.

Please pray for the people of Taiwan who have been impacted by this  earthquake.

*** UPDATE – SATURDAY – FEBRUARY 6TH, 9PM LOCAL TIME

The District Superintendent as well as the District NYI Coordinator (who lives in a town nearby the epicenter of Tainan) have indicated that no Nazarenes were injured.  We are continuing to monitor the situation closely and will keep updates coming as they are available.

Through generous donations previously made to the Nazarene Compassionate Ministry, Asia-Pacific Disaster Relief Fund, we have resources already on hand and are poised to respond as critical needs are identified.

Feature Image Photo Credit: Reuters.com