Terrifying video shows collapsed building after 7.5 earthquake strikes Taiwan
26 days ago
Shocking videos shared on social media depict the damages done after a massive earthquake hit Taiwan, leaving nine dead and over 900 injured.
Key points:
- On Wednesday morning, a 7.4 magnitude earthquake struck Taiwan’s eastern coast, causing buildings to collapse and bridges to shake, with dramatic scenes shared on social media.
- Officials warn of potential aftershocks in the coming days. President Tsai Ing-wen called for coordinated response efforts.
The details:
- The quake occurred just south of Hualien city, a tourist destination known for its scenic mountains, lakes and susceptibility to frequent earthquakes. While Taiwan is prone to earthquakes due to its location near tectonic plates, the recent tremor is reportedly the strongest in 25 years after a 7.6 magnitude quake hit the nation in 1999, killing 2,400 people.
- In the latest update, nine people have been pronounced dead, while more than 100 people remain trapped in tunnels and collapsed buildings around Hualien County. Among those killed were three hikers, who were fatally crushed by boulders, and a truck driver, who was crushed in a landslide near a tunnel.
- Videos circulating online show several buildings, bridges and roads swaying due to the tremors. In one video, a five-story building in Hualien was left leaning at a 45-degree angle as its first floor collapsed. In another, a high-rise building’s rooftop swimming pool can be seen spilling over, cascading water down its sides.
- On live TV, Taiwan’s iNews TV broadcast also captured the moment an anchor persevered despite the violent shaking of the studio. Despite the chaos, with pieces of the ceiling falling and the camera unsteady, the reporter managed to maintain composure.
- Other structures were also shown reduced to dust, while roads have crumbled, leaving people stranded in traffic as rescue workers search for individuals under falling debris.
What’s next:
- President Tsai urged both local and central government agencies to collaborate and announced that the national army would assist in relief efforts.
- Initially, authorities in Taiwan, Japan and the Philippines issued tsunami warnings, but by 10 a.m. local time, the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center declared that the threat had diminished.
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