Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC) confirmed that its personnel are safe and facility safety systems are functioning normally following a powerful magnitude 7.0 earthquake that struck off the eastern coast of Taiwan late Saturday night.
According to the Central Weather Administration (CWA), the significant tremor occurred at 11:05 p.m. on December 27, 2025. The epicenter was located 32.3 kilometers east of Yilan County Hall in the waters off eastern Taiwan, with a focal depth of 72.8 kilometers.
The CWA highlighted the significance of the event, noting that this is only the third earthquake of magnitude 7.0 or higher to hit Taiwan in the past 26 years. It ranks just behind the devastating "921 Earthquake" of September 21, 1999 (magnitude 7.3) and the "0403 Earthquake" that struck Hualien on April 3, 2024 (magnitude 7.2).
In Hsinchu, the heart of Taiwan's semiconductor cluster, the seismic intensity reached Level 4 on the CWA intensity scale.
Responding to the shaking in the region, TSMC stated that a small number of its fabrication facilities in the Hsinchu Science Park reached the seismic threshold requiring evacuation. "We prioritize the safety of our personnel above all else," the company said in an official statement.
TSMC immediately activated its emergency response procedures, evacuating staff from the affected areas to outdoor safety zones.
The company confirmed that work safety systems across all manufacturing sites remained operational. Following safety assessments, all evacuated personnel have returned to their posts, suggesting minimal disruption to the foundry's operations.
Proven resilience: The 2024 benchmark
Industry observers often look to TSMC's response to the magnitude 7.2 earthquake on April 3, 2024, as a benchmark for its resilience. Following that event, the company achieved an equipment recovery rate of over 70% within just 10 hours—exceeding 80% in its newest fabs—and confirmed that no critical tools, including Extreme Ultraviolet (EUV) lithography systems, suffered structural damage.
Despite the disruption to wafer production in 2024, the financial impact was contained. TSMC reported a manageable gross margin impact of approximately 50 basis points and a net loss of roughly NT$3 billion (after insurance). Crucially, the company maintained its full-year revenue growth guidance, demonstrating its ability to absorb seismic shocks without altering its long-term outlook.
Article edited by Joseph Chen
