At least nine other people were killed and more than 900 injured after Taiwan struck its biggest earthquake in a quarter of a century.
Wednesday’s magnitude-7. 2 quake shook buildings to their foundations and triggered landslides in the eastern part of the island. Dozens of buildings in the eastern city of Hualien collapsed.
Taiwanese media quoted fire protection officials as saying at least nine other people died in Hualien County, adding that three hikers and an engineer suffered rockfalls while on a trail, and that at least 946 were injured.
Rescue teams were racing to free at least 137 other people believed to be trapped in the rubble or in need of rescue, according to news channel SETN.
Since the quake, more than 100 aftershocks have been recorded, disrupting the island of about 23 million people.
The National Fire Agency said the government lost contact with 50 other people in minibuses after the quake destroyed telephone networks.
In the capital, Taipei, cars stopped on the side of the street and the city’s subway service was temporarily suspended as roof tiles fell from older buildings and furniture collapsed due to the force of the quake.
A series of aftershocks were felt in the capital about 15 minutes later and continued for the next hour. Officials said aftershocks could continue for the next 3 to 4 days due to the intensity of the quake.
Stacy Liu, a Chinese teacher in Taipei who was coaching an online class when the earthquake struck, said she revived memories of her formative years of the worst recent earthquake in Taiwan in 1999, when more than 2,400 people died.
“I panicked. I felt like scary things were going to happen because I lived through the year 1999, so I know how scary it can be,” Liu told Al Jazeera.
“I’d take off my [construction] helmets, get our guinea pigs ready, and put water and snacks on the table in case something weird happened. “
Kimmie Phan-Stattmen, a user designer from Taipei, said she was amazed during the earthquake.
“At first I thought it would just be a small earthquake, but then it became much more violent than usual. We have a sliding glass door, leading to the balcony and the apartment, and it opened, which I didn’t think of. possible,” Phan-Stattmen told Al Jazeera.
“Then [our cat] Beef ran and ran into the room, and all the books fell out. “
Wu Chien-fu, director of the Taiwan Seismological Center, said the quake was the strongest to hit the island since the 1999 quake.
“The earthquake went to the ground and it’s shallow. It’s felt all over Taiwan and on the coastal islands,” Wu told reporters.
Taiwan’s seismic warning system, which provides minutes in advance, was not activated before the quake.
After tsunami warnings were issued in Taiwan, Japan and the Philippines, the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center in Hawaii said the risk had “passed. “No casualties were reported as a result of the waves generated by the earthquake.
The Japan Meteorological Agency lifted all tsunami warnings after urging citizens on the islands of Okinawa, Miyakojima and Yaeyama to evacuate due to waves up to meters (9. 8 feet) high.
The company said a wave measuring about 0. 3 meters high was detected off the coast of Yonaguni Island about 15 minutes after the quake.
Okinawa’s airport suspended flights following the alert.
The Philippine Seismology Agency canceled its alert after warning that coastal areas would be treated to “strong tsunami waves. “
Taiwan sits in a tectonic belt, like the Pacific Ring of Fire, where about 90% of all earthquakes occur.
The self-governing island has strict building regulations and awareness systems about the number of earthquake victims.