TSMC evacuated its employees from its campus in Hsinchu, Taiwan, due to the recent earthquakes that struck the region.
The earthquakes, which occurred on the morning of February 6, caused significant damage to buildings and infrastructure in the area.
TSMC's campus is located in a high-risk seismic zone, and the company took immediate action to ensure the safety of its employees.
TSMC's swift response to the earthquakes is a testament to its commitment to the safety and well-being of its employees.
Readers also liked: Does Homeowners Insurance Cover Earthquake Damage
Earthquakes in Taiwan
A 6.4-magnitude earthquake struck Taiwan's southern Chiayi county on Tuesday, causing minor injuries and damage to houses.
The earthquake shook buildings as far as Taipei and prompted evacuations at chipmaker Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC) factories.
TSMC confirmed in a statement that evacuations were conducted at its facilities in the Central Taiwan Science Park in Taichung and the Southern Taiwan Science Park in Tainan as part of its emergency response protocols.
No major casualties were reported, but 27 people sustained minor injuries, including six rescued from a collapsed house in Tainan city.
TSMC said all of its employees were safe, and workers returned to their job sites hours after the quake.
The earthquake struck near Chiayi where TSMC operates clusters of its cutting-edge chip plants that supply AI and mobile processors to global companies such as Nvidia, Apple, and Advanced Micro Devices.
The health ministry confirmed a total of 27 injuries, while the Nanxi district fire brigade stated that “no major damage” had been reported.
A fire broke out at a printing factory in Chiayi City, but it was quickly extinguished, and no injuries were reported.
Taiwan, situated near the junction of two tectonic plates, is highly prone to earthquakes.
The Meishan earthquake near Chiayi in 1906 claimed over 1,200 lives.
TSMC’s operations were temporarily disrupted, but the company's quick response ensured minimal impact on its workforce.
The quake’s timing—just after midnight—gave the story an extra jolt.
TSMC has so far proven remarkably resilient, and the quake’s immediate consequences appear limited to a short production pause.
A fresh viewpoint: The Importer Reported a Generic Error
The stakes run sky-high when the ground starts trembling, especially in a domain where microseconds of downtime translate to billions in lost opportunity.
Over 50 aftershocks were recorded by Taiwan’s Central Weather Administration (CWA), with the most powerful reaching 5.2 on the Richter scale.
The tremors predominantly affected the Tainan and Chiayi regions, prompting emergency response teams to scramble to assess and manage the damage.
TSMC Response to Earthquakes
TSMC's emergency response protocols kicked in immediately after the earthquakes, with evacuations conducted at its facilities in the Central Taiwan Science Park in Taichung and the Southern Taiwan Science Park in Tainan.
TSMC evacuated its employees from multiple facilities, ensuring all employees were accounted for and safe. The company's quick response ensured minimal impact on its workforce.
Production machines at major facilities in the Southern Taiwan Science Park were immediately shut down following the earthquakes. No injuries occurred as a result of the tremors.
Recommended read: Do Pre Orders Take Money Immediately
TSMC's operations were temporarily disrupted, but the company's quick response ensured minimal impact on its workforce. The company's employees were safe, and all of them returned to their job sites hours after the quake.
TSMC's vulnerability to disaster was highlighted by the earthquakes, which could have a domino effect across the global supply chain for electronic devices. If a major catastrophe were to hit Taiwan and disrupt production for several weeks, it could have significant consequences.
TSMC has already made progress in setting up advanced fabs elsewhere, with the output of the Arizona fab already being tested by its clients like Apple, AMD, and Nvidia for quality. However, this expansion would only contribute about 10% of total output.
Taiwan Earthquake Details
The 6.4 magnitude earthquake struck near the Dapu township in Chiayi county at 12:17 a.m. local time on January 21.
Taiwan's Central Weather Administration reported that the epicentre was located 38km southeast of Chiayi County Hall, at a depth of 10km.
The earthquake triggered significant precautionary measures across key industrial areas, including the evacuation of TSMC employees from multiple facilities.
TSMC evacuated personnel from its factories located in the Central Taiwan Science Park in Taichung and the Southern Taiwan Science Park in Tainan.
Production machines at major facilities were immediately shut down following the earthquakes.
No injuries occurred as a result of the tremors, but evacuation procedures were followed to mitigate any potential risks.
A total of 27 people sustained minor injuries, including six rescued from a collapsed house in Tainan city.
The earthquake also triggered a fire at a printing factory in Chiayi, but it was quickly extinguished, and no injuries were reported.
The health ministry confirmed the total number of injuries.
The quake's impact on TSMC's operations was minimal, thanks to the company's quick response and emergency response protocols.
TSMC's employees were safe, and workers returned to their job sites hours after the quake.
The earthquake struck near Chiayi where TSMC operates clusters of its cutting-edge chip plants that supply AI and mobile processors to global companies.
See what others are reading: Land Bank of Taiwan, Tainan Branch
Taiwan Chipmaker Evacuates Factories After Earthquake
A 6.4-magnitude earthquake struck Taiwan's southern Chiayi county on January 21, causing minor injuries and damage to houses.
The earthquake's epicentre was located 38km southeast of Chiayi County Hall, at a depth of 10km, according to Taiwan's Central Weather Administration.
TSMC evacuated personnel from its factories in the Central Taiwan Science Park in Taichung and the Southern Taiwan Science Park in Tainan as part of its emergency response protocols.
All TSMC employees were safe, but 27 people sustained minor injuries, including six rescued from a collapsed house in Tainan city.
The earthquake triggered a fire at a printing factory in Chiayi, but it was quickly extinguished, and no injuries were reported.
TSMC's operations were temporarily disrupted, but the company's quick response ensured minimal impact on its workforce.
The earthquake's shaking reached level five in Southern Taiwan Science Park, which houses Fab 18, a cutting-edge production line for 3nm chips.
TSMC expects little in the way of catastrophic equipment harm due to the anti-vibration measures already in place.
Check this out: Actuarial Science Minor Uf
However, protracted shaking can still misalign sensitive machinery, leading to recalibration and precious downtime.
Production machines at major facilities in the Southern Taiwan Science Park were immediately shut down following the earthquake.
The Southern Taiwan Science Park Bureau reported no major damage, but evacuation procedures were followed to mitigate any potential risks.
TSMC has scrambled engineers and supply chain partners from across the island to bring production back online.
The company's top priority was ensuring its workforce remained safe, a mission it accomplished by swiftly evacuating employees.
TSMC has so far proven remarkably resilient, and the quake's immediate consequences appear limited to a short production pause.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many TSMC employees are there in Taiwan?
As of 2023, TSMC has approximately 76,478 employees in Taiwan. This number represents a 12.18% increase from 2022, indicating significant growth in the company's workforce.
Featured Images: pexels.com
