Rescue attempts continue following the Taiwan earthquake.
Taiwan is now conducting rescue operations following a 7.4-magnitude earthquake that slammed the eastern shore of the island, leaving at least nine people dead and over 900 injured.
Approximately 127 people are stranded in collapsing tunnels and on hilly routes along the rough coast.
The epicentre was 18 kilometers (11 miles) south of Hualien but severe tremors could be felt all the way to Taiwan’s capital, Taipei which is over 100 kilometers away. This is the largest earthquake to strike Taiwan in 25 years.
It also generated tsunami warnings earlier in the day on nearby Japanese and Philippine islands which were eventually withdrawn. It caused the biggest damage in Hualien, where houses collapsed, roads were blocked and rail lines were delayed further isolating the remote province from the rest of Taiwan.
Hundreds of people have been stranded along this shoreline, which features tight, winding roadways and tunnels dug out of the rock. The route is popular with tourists because of the amazing views from the mountains out to the Pacific Ocean. However, it is also known to be dangerous, particularly due to the likelihood of landslides.
Rescue efforts to free the 77 individuals stranded in the Hualien road’s Jinwen and Qingshui tunnels were going on late into the night. Images demonstrate how the road outside the Qingshui tunnel has just collapsed.
Taipei was brutally rattled with footage of toppled residential structures and people being evacuated from their homes and schools. Videos of broken cars and messed-up establishments were shown on local television channels. All throughout the island, people were reporting internet and power disruptions.
These breathtaking roads transport residents and visitors to the Taroko National Park, which is named after a famous gorge outside of Hualien and is regarded as one of Asia’s natural wonders. In advance of a four-day holiday weekend, 50 employees of a well-known hotel are stuck there and three of the dead were hikers on a nearby trail.
Taiwan’s Mainland Affairs Council, which deals with China, praised China for its concern but stated that there would be no request for assistance from that side. Beijing claims authority over the self-governing island, which considers itself different from China.
While Taiwan has a history of earthquakes, both locals and expats who have lived in Taipei for years claim this is the strongest one they have felt in decades. The last big earthquake, with a magnitude of 7.6, occurred in September 1999, killing 2,400 people and demolishing 5,000 buildings.
