Taiwan Earthquake: Rescue Efforts Underway for Over 600 Stranded Individuals
HUALIEN — In the aftermath of Taiwan’s worst earthquake in 25 years, rescuers are tirelessly working to reach more than 600 stranded individuals.
Survivors have described harrowing experiences, with one recounting how tremors unleashed rockslides “like bullets” around the coal mine where he was working.
The 7.4 magnitude earthquake struck near the eastern county of Hualien, resulting in nine fatalities and over 1,000 injuries.
Helicopters have been able to rescue some individuals stuck in tunnels and near a national park, but 34 people remain missing.
As phone signals were restored in mountainous regions, the official number of trapped or stranded individuals surged from 100 to 660 on Thursday.
Most of those affected are guests and staff of a remote hotel who are unable to leave due to damaged roads, prompting officials to strategize the best rescue plan.
Food supplies have been air-dropped to those trapped in these areas, according to local reports.
“The mountain started raining rocks like bullets, we had nowhere to escape to, everyone ran beside the sandbags for cover,” recounted a survivor identified as Mr. Chu to Taiwan’s Central News Agency.
Three of the nine deceased individuals were hikers on a trail leading towards Taroko National Park, located just outside Hualien.
Relief efforts in Hualien city are progressing rapidly, with workers utilizing heavy equipment to demolish damaged buildings.
Relief workers were seen removing huge boulders close to railway lines, allowing normal train services to resume.
Efforts are also underway to stabilize the Uranus building, a 10-storey structure that has been leaning since the quake struck, to prevent collapse in the event of another aftershock.
Tragically, reports indicate that a female teacher lost her life when she returned to rescue her cat from the building.
Residents shared their terrifying experiences, with one individual describing how the earthquake caused chaos in their home.
The earthquake, which struck 18km south of Hualien, was followed by over 200 aftershocks, complicating search and rescue operations.
Despite the devastation, Taiwan remains resilient in the face of this natural disaster, with both locals and foreigners united in their efforts to rebuild and recover.
