Taiwan was struck by its strongest earthquake in 25 years, leaving at least four people dead and trapping dozens more under collapsed buildings. The magnitude 6.4 quake shook the island nation, causing widespread destruction and panic among residents.
The powerful tremors caused buildings to sway and crumble, trapping many people inside. Rescue teams worked tirelessly to free those trapped under the rubble, but the death toll continued to rise as more bodies were recovered.
The quake hit near the eastern city of Hualien at 7:58am local time (2358 GMT) and had a magnitude of 7.4, according to the U.S. Geological Survey, making it the strongest quake to hit since 1999. The depth was about 35 kilometers (22 miles), which is considered shallow. Taiwan's earthquake monitoring agency gave the magnitude as 7.2.
Strong shaking was felt in Taipei, the capital, some 100 miles away, with aftershocks continued for roughly two hours. And there were reports in China that people as far away as Shanghai, about 500 miles to the north, could feel the earthquake.
In Taiwan, military personnel were dispatched to help with disaster relief and schools and workplaces suspended operations as aftershocks hit the island, according to the Defense Ministry.
Taiwan’s outgoing President Tsai Ing-wen said Wednesday she had ordered her administration to “immediately” get “on top of the situation and understand local impacts as soon as possible.”
Tsai also told the administration to “provide necessary assistance, and work together with local governments to minimize the impact of the disaster.”
Wednesday's earthquake hit at 07:58 local time (23:58 GMT) at a depth of 15.5km and has set off at least nine aftershocks at magnitude 4 or larger. The earthquake's epicentre is located about 18km (11 miles) south of Hualien, according to the US Geological Survey.
Hualien is located on Taiwan's east coast, in a sprawling, mountainous region. Cities in the area are sparsely populated. With major roads and rail lines connecting Hualien to the rest of Taiwan now down, rescue teams will likely have to enter the area by air.
In September 1999, a 7.6-magnitude earthquake hit Taiwan, killing 2,400 people and destroying 5,000 buildings.
Hualien City, about 70 miles southeast of Taipei, has a population of around 106,000. The county’s population is around 340,000.
Taiwan is on the so-called Ring of Fire, which circles the Pacific Basin and is known for earthquakes.
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