According to a statement from the Emergency Operation Center established after the earthquake in Taiwan, search and rescue teams reached the body of a 65-year-old person in Taroko National Park, north of Hualien.
The number of confirmed casualties so far has reached 10, while 38 people are still unaccounted for.
It was stated that there was no contact with 3 buses traveling on the Region 8 highway near Taroko National Park during the earthquake, and that 30 hotel employees, 6 hikers and 2 tourists traveling on the bus were missing.
On the other hand, 660 people were stranded as landslides caused by the earthquake and aftershocks blocked roads and passages and prevented access to construction sites.
Search and rescue efforts focused on the Taroko Valley, where the National Park is located, and the surrounding areas along Highway 8.
10 people killed, 1067 injured
According to official figures, 10 people died and 1067 people were injured in the earthquake. It was noted that 5 of the dead were women.
The earthquake and its aftershocks caused 24 landslides and damaged 35 roads, bridges and tunnels. A total of 125 buildings were damaged in and around Hualien.
More than 100 aftershocks were recorded after the earthquake.
Earthquake in Taiwan
A 7.4-magnitude earthquake occurred yesterday morning in the city of Hualien on the east coast of Taiwan.
The US Geological Survey (USGS) reported that the epicenter of the earthquake was 18 kilometers south of the city of Hualien on Taiwan’s east coast.
Taiwan’s Central Meteorological Administration (CWA) announced the magnitude of the earthquake as 7.2 and stated that it was the strongest earthquake to hit Taiwan in the last 25 years.
In the 7.7-magnitude earthquake that occurred in Jiji, 150 kilometers south of Taipei on September 21, 1999 in Taiwan, approximately 2,400 people lost their lives, more than 100 thousand people were injured and thousands of buildings were destroyed.
