2024-04-04 20:24:13
At least 9 died and 940 were injured after the natural disaster on the island
Taiwan’s strongest earthquake in 25 years killed nine people and injured at least 940, collapsed buildings, knocked out power and triggered landslides on the island. It was followed by several strong aftershocks that were felt throughout the country, including the capital, Taipei.
Taiwanese authorities said at least 130 people were stranded, with nearly 80 trapped in underground tunnels due to collapsed roads in the area of the city of Hualien, the epicenter of the 7.4-magnitude earthquake.
The remaining 50 people are stranded in 4 vans en route from Hualien to nearby Taroko National Park. They are all hotel employees, having traveled for two local holidays this weekend. According to the Associated Press, 70 miners are also trapped in two coal mines near Hualien.
According to official information, all deaths so far are from Hualien. The city suffered a lot of material damage – a number of buildings collapsed, thousands of homes were left without electricity, and the main road was closed due to the risk of landslides.
Aftershocks with a magnitude of up to 7 are expected to continue until the end of the week. In the immediate aftermath of the natural disaster in Taiwan, Japan and the Philippines declared a tsunami alert, which was later lifted. Earthquakes are not new to the small island due to its location on the Pacific Ring of Fire, which runs along the edge of the ocean and causes strong seismic and volcanic activity from Indonesia to Chile. The quake was the strongest in Taiwan since 1999. That same year, a 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck south of Taipei, killing 2,400 people and injuring 10,000.
Among those forced out of business by the quake was TSMC, the world’s chip giant based in Taiwan. The company’s losses are expected to reach 60 million dollars. Shares of TSMC fell soon after the earthquake. The company is due to reopen after a safety inspection of its premises, but chip prices will rise.