More than 600 people, including about 450 at a hotel in the Taroko park, remained stranded in various locations in Taiwan cut off by rockslides and other damage. This comes three days after a massive earthquake hit Taiwan, strongest in 25 years.
According to reports, the earthquake which took place on Wednesday morning off Taiwan’s east coast, had a magnitude 7.4. It killed about 12 people and about 10 others were still missing. Rocks were tumbling onto roadways, trapping people in tunnels until rescuers arrived to free them, as reported by the survivors. A building left tilting over a street at a precarious angle was torn down in the city of Hualien.
What lies ahead
Experts believe that the earthquake saw a relatively low number of deaths despite its intensity. This could be possible due to the strict construction standards and widespread public education campaigns on the earthquake-prone island.
Reportedly, rescuers planned to bring in heavy equipment on Saturday and recover two bodies buried under boulders on a hiking trail. In addition to this on the Shakadang Trail in Taroko National Park, four more people remain missing. This trail is known for its rugged mountainous terrain. After the search and recovery work was called off on Friday afternoon due to aftershocks, it will be resumed soon.
(With inputs from Associated Press)