On Wednesday morning, a powerful earthquake of 7.2 magnitude hits Taiwan. It causes huge destruction and claims nine lives.
The earthquake monitoring agency said the quake measured 7.2 on the Richter scale. However, the U.S. Geological Survey reported it as 7.5 on the earth scale.
It is the strongest quake in last twenty five years, struck during rush hours. More than 1000 people got injured and a large number of buildings become damaged.
The epicentre of the earth quake was the east coast of Taiwan, where buildings leaned dangerously and and some fell down entirely. In the capital city of Taipei, about 150 kilometers away, older buildings lost their roof tiles. Due to continued shaking, school moved students to safer places.
Quickly, rescue teams rushed to Hualien to search of survivors and and stabilize damaged buildings. Many people were stuck under the things ad asking for help. At two quarries, almost 70 workers couldn’t leave their places because rocks have blocked the roads. They tried their best to rescue workers by air.
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After the earthquake, heartwarming scenes emerged as neighbors and rescue workers helped people, including a toddler, get out of buildings through windows. The intensity of shaking left many people scared, with one person describe how they were terrified to tears.
Sadly, the high magnitude of earthquake claimed lives of nine people. Among the victims were three hikers who got caught in rockslides in Taroko National Park, located in Hualien. Also, a van driver passed away after boulders hit the vehicle in the same area.
Taiwan often experiences earthquakes, and its people are well-prepared for them. However, authorities did not anticipate a severe quake this time and didn’t issue alerts. This earthquake was much strong that even frighten those people who are used to such shaking.