Hualien, Taiwan

Strongest earthquake in 25 years: Rescue workers in Taiwan pulled survivors from the rubble this week after a magnitude-7.4 earthquake hit the city of Hualien and was felt all over the island. The strong quake struck during morning rush hour, trapping dozens of commuters inside a caved-in highway tunnel and causing 16 buildings to partially collapse. But while some 900 people were injured, only nine were killed, a relatively small death toll that authorities attributed to Taiwan’s stringent building codes, designed to withstand the many quakes that hit the region. Still, several silicon chip manufacturers had to reset their factory facilities. Taiwan is the world’s leading maker of computer chips, which are so delicate that even a small vibration can wreck an entire batch.