Taiwan’s biggest earthquake in 25 years leaves nine dead

TAIWAN’S biggest earthquake in 25 years killed at least nine people and injured hundreds more yesterday as it shook buildings across the island.

Violent shaking was felt across all of Taiwan and its outlying islands from the magnitude 7.2 tremor, leaving buildings leaning precariously near the epicentre, close to the eastern coastal city of Hualien, in a mountainous part of the island.

Even as more than 100 aftershocks rattled Taiwan, rescuers were trying to reach those caught by landslides and falling debris, including 70 workers trapped in two quarries. At least 50 people have been reported missing.

Fang Zhen, a 22-year-old undergraduate at National Dong Hwa University in Hualien, was woken up when things started to fall from his shelves. When Mr Fang went downstairs to survey the damage he saw that part of a nearby mountain “had completely collapsed”.

Images from Hualien’s mountains yesterday showed landslides that sent thick clouds of dust into the sky. Elsewhere, train passengers gripped subway railings and ducked to the ground as the cars swayed violently. Footage from local media reports showed swimmers caught up in violent waves that formed in rooftop swimming pools.

During one live news broadcast, a presenter carried on heroically, advising

‘For the magnitude of the earthquake, the situation could have been very serious, but it’s not’

audiences to remain calm despite nearly losing her balance as the shaking caused debris to fall from the ceiling.

Transport was severely disrupted, complicating the work of rescuers trying to get to people in areas cut off by landslides – many in tunnels that run through mountains.

Wang Kwo-tsai, Taiwan’s minister of transportation, said he was “not optimistic” that the island’s roads and railways would be operational again soon.

The earthquake was the strongest to hit since 1999, when a magnitude 7.3 tremor killed more than 2,400 people, injured over 11,000 and damaged more than 50,000 buildings. But the damage and casualties this time are far smaller. Of the nine deaths reported so far, many were people who were struck by falling rocks while hiking or in vehicles.

Strict building regulations and widespread public awareness of seismic activity, appear to have staved off a major catastrophe. Other factors also contributed to the lower number of casualties, said T.H. Schee, of Taiwan’s Open Knowledge Foundation. Taiwan’s emergency response is more organised and, unlike 25 years ago, involves civil society and volunteer organisations. Yesterday’s quake also struck deeper – at a depth of more than 21 miles – creating a less extreme shockwave.

“For the magnitude of the earthquake, [the situation] could have been very serious, but it’s not,” Mr Schee said.