A 7. 4-magnitude earthquake struck Taiwan, hitting Hualien County at 7:58 a. m. local time on Wednesday. Taipower, the electricity utility, reported that most power had been restored after the quake, and the island’s two nuclear power stations were unaffected.
The high-speed rail operator in Taiwan stated that no damage or injuries were reported on its trains, although services would be delayed as inspections were carried out.
This was Taiwan’s biggest earthquake in at least 25 years, which killed nine people on Wednesday and injured more than 900. Additionally, 50 workers who were traveling in minibusses to a hotel in a national park are currently missing.
Some buildings in the mountainous and sparsely populated county of Hualien tilted at precarious angles near the epicenter of the 7. 4 magnitude quake. The earthquake struck just offshore at around 8 a.m. (0000 GMT) and triggered massive landslides.
More than 50 aftershocks were recorded, officials said.
On Thursday, rescue teams faced the challenging task of reaching over 100 individuals trapped overnight in eastern Taiwan. The situation became even more dire as the number of injured individuals surpassed a staggering 1, 000, underscoring the urgent need for swift rescue operations. A day after the 7. 4 magnitude earthquake struck just south of Hualien County, the worst-affected region, resulting in at least nine deaths, collapsed buildings, and triggered landslides, aftershocks continued to shake the island.
Taiwanese officials have cautioned that aftershocks as strong as magnitude 7 could continue until the end of the week. For a quake of such magnitude, the death toll remains relatively low, and the damage seems limited.
In addition to nine people dead, 1, 050 were injured, with 46 missing or un-contactable. According to Taiwan’s National Fire Agency, there are still 101 people trapped or stranded, with ongoing rescue operations. Although dozens of people were rescued overnight, authorities are concentrating their efforts on the more than 60 individuals stranded in a quarry in Hualien and on reaching those who are cut off in the surrounding mountain gorges, a popular tourist destination for hikers.
The extent of the earthquake damage is still being assessed, with road and rail closures limiting access to the quake’s epicenter in Hualien County. Videos and images have shown several collapsed buildings in Hualien, and sections of the Suhua Highway, a narrow and winding cliff road that connects Hualien with the north of Taiwan, have crumbled or been blocked by large boulders and rockfall.
The government has officially stated that the number of injured individuals stands at a staggering 946, highlighting the severity of the situation. President-elect Lai Ching-te emphasized the critical nature of the current crisis by emphasizing that rescuing people is not just important but indeed the top priority. His remarks were delivered solemnly outside one of the collapsed buildings in Hualien, underscoring the gravity of the ongoing rescue efforts.
The anticipated reopening of the rail link to the area was scheduled for Thursday, as indicated by Lai, who is poised to assume office next month.
The Japanese weather agency reported the earthquake’s magnitude at a significant 7. 7, highlighting the potential threat posed by this natural disaster. Several small tsunami waves were observed hitting parts of the southern prefecture of Okinawa, underscoring the vulnerability of coastal areas to such catastrophic events.
Despite downgrading its tsunami warning to a mere advisory, the impact and aftermath of such tremors serve as a stark reminder of Japan’s constant battle against seismic activities.
Seismology officials in the Philippines issued a warning to coastal residents in multiple provinces, urging them to swiftly relocate to higher ground as a precautionary measure against potential catastrophic events caused by seismic activities.
