Taipei, July 29 (CNA) Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC) said Tuesday night that its employees were safe and the structure of its plant in Kumamoto, Japan, was intact after a magnitude 7.1 earthquake struck the area earlier in the day. The earthquake struck Kumamoto at 4:27 p.m. local time Tuesday and registered a maximum intensity of 7 on Japan's seismic intensity scale, according to Japan Broadcasting Corp. (NHK). TSMC's first fab in Kumamoto started commercial operations at the end of 2024, using specialty processes. TSMC said the construction site of the second fab was not affected by the earthquake but some work remained suspended out of safety considerations because of possible aftershocks. In a separate statement, Taiwan's Ministry of Economic Affairs said other Taiwanese companies operating in Kumamoto were not hurt by the earthquake.