A 7.2 magnitude quake in Taiwan's east injures 1000+. Rescue efforts underway. Hualien residents cope with the aftermath. (Reuters)
Over 1,000 people have been reported injured following a powerful 7.2 magnitude earthquake that struck eastern Taiwan on Thursday. The death toll remains at nine, with the majority of those affected found to be workers en route to a hotel in a national park, now confirmed safe.
The earthquake, described as the strongest in a quarter of a century, struck on Wednesday morning, catching many as they were preparing for their day in the largely rural and thinly populated eastern county of Hualien. While the capital, Taipei, experienced strong tremors, damages and disturbances there were relatively minor.
Taiwan's fire department reported over 1,000 injuries, but the majority of approximately 50 hotel workers headed to a resort in Taroko National Park have been located. Interior Minister Lin Yu-chang stated on social media that rescue efforts are expected to reach them by Thursday evening.
Efforts are underway to clear the road into Taroko, a key thoroughfare known as the cross-island highway, linking Hualien with the west coast of Taiwan. Some 646 individuals are still trapped, primarily in hotels within the park, due to road closures, according to the fire department.
Despite challenges, the railway line to Hualien was reopened earlier than anticipated on Thursday, though a rural station north of Hualien city remains closed due to damage.
In Hualien city, where all individuals trapped in buildings have been rescued, residents endured a restless night outdoors as more than 300 aftershocks rattled the area. Many queued outside damaged buildings, like the severely affected 10-story structure downtown, to retrieve belongings. Equipped with helmets and guided by officials, they were granted a brief window to gather valuables, with some opting to toss possessions out of windows to expedite the process.
Tian Liang-si, a resident of the fifth floor, recounted her experience during the earthquake, hastily securing her belongings and ensuring the safety of her four puppies as the building swayed and furniture shifted. "I'm a native Hualiener. I'm supposed not to fear earthquakes. But this is an earthquake that frightened us," she shared with Reuters, expressing concern over the habitability of her now-damaged residence.
