In their continued search for the remaining 12 individuals missing following this week’s earthquake in Taiwan, emergency rescue teams are facing the escalating risk of more landslides and rockfalls on Friday. Fortunately, some of those stranded by the seismic activity have since been safely evacuated.
A pair of additional bodies were found in the aftermath of the Wednesday’s 7.2 magnitude earthquake. The tremblor predominently impacted the scarcely inhabited, mostly agrarian eastern region of Hualien, leaving hundreds stranded within a national park as boulders tumbled down hill slopes, cutting off access routes.
Approximately 50 tremors reverberated through the area during the night, with some even felt as distant as Taipei. It is reported that about 400 individuals isolated in a luxury hotel situated within Taroko Gorge national park are in a safe condition, with helicopters airlifting the injured and delivering supplies.
Su Yu-ming, who is leading one of the search teams aiding the relief activities, cautioned that rain elevated the dangers of falling rocks and landslides, presently the most significant hurdles.”These variables are unforeseeable, implying that we cannot affirm the duration necessary to complete the search and rescue procedures,” Yu-ming added.
Taiwan’s fire service reported discovering two bodies in the mountains, though before updating the official death toll, they aim to corroborate their identities.
It is estimated that 13 individuals are still missing, with three being foreign nationals – one Australian and two Canadians.
Many senior politicians, including president Tsai Ing-wen, are contributing a month’s salary towards the relief operations. Simultaneously, aid supplies are being delivered to the affected region. Japan pledged $1 million aid for the rescue and recovery activities, as announced by the country’s foreign minister Yoko Kamikawa.
A group of 50 hotel staff, earlier trapped on a national park route, have now been safely evacuated. Recollecting his experience, David Chen (63), the hotel’s security manager said: “We were frightened when the earthquake initially struck. We believed it was the end, as it was an earthquake, right?” Expressing the graveness of their rescue, he added: “Rocks continued sliding down the nearby slopes as we left. We manoeuvred through the gaps between the tumbling rocks, led by the rescue team”.
Upon reuniting with her son, whose fate was previously unknown, 85-year-old Chen Lan-chih broke down in tears of relief. “His return brought me immense happiness. I couldn’t sleep or eat due to anxiety,” confessed the elder Chen.
An earthquake struck Taiwan one day before they were due to embark on a lengthy weekend break in respect of their tomb sweeping festival. This annual event sees individuals return to their familial homesteads to tidy the graves of their ancestors. Others, meanwhile, avail of this time to explore touristic locations such as Hualien, celebrated for its undiscovered appeal. However, the tremors have damaged tourism and led to numerous reservation cancellations.
A devastated Aga Syu, a local hostel proprietor, lamented, “It’s a real calamity as our livelihoods, whether it’s hotels, guesthouses or eateries, rely heavily on tourism.” Regardless, Aga’s primary worry is her patrons’ welfare, adding, “I sincerely hope this catastrophe doesn’t tarnish Hualien’s reputation.”
Because it is situated at the conflux of two tectonic plates, Taiwan frequently experiences seismic activity. Past earthquakes have proved deadly, with over 100 fatalities in 2016 in the south, and a dreadful 7.3 magnitude trembler in 1999 causing in excess of 2,000 deaths.
Credit: Thomson Reuters 2024.