The 7.2 magnitude earthquake that struck eastern Taiwan on Wednesday morning killed at least 9 and left over 1000 individuals injured. Forty-two workers en route to a hotel in a national park remained unaccounted for.
The search for these workers has become a top priority as the authorities have deployed drones and helicopters for search operations.
Taiwan‘s fire department reported 1,038 injuries and identified a total of 48 individuals who are still missing, among them are the 42 hotel workers. The earthquake is being called the most powerful quake in a quarter-century which occurred on Wednesday as people were preparing for their day in the predominantly rural and sparsely populated eastern county of Hualien.
Rescue efforts have successfully extracted trapped individuals, with a helicopter rescuing six people from a mining area.
The railway line to Hualien resumed operations earlier than expected, although a rural station north of Hualien city remains closed due to damage, reported Reuters. In Hualien city itself, where rescue operations have concluded, some residents opted to sleep outdoors due to ongoing aftershocks.
(With Agency Inputs)