Hualin: According to the National Fire Agency, about 150 people are missing. About two dozen tourists and some other people were stranded in the park. The Ministry of Health and Welfare said 64 other workers were working in a rock mine. A day after the powerful earthquake that struck Taiwan, rescue workers began searching for missing people. The earthquake that occurred in Taiwan on Wednesday is considered to be the most powerful earthquake in the last 25 years, due to which many buildings were damaged and there were reports of landslides at many places. Nine people died due to the earthquake. In the eastern coastal city of Hualien, near the epicenter, workers dug to fill a damaged building with construction material to stabilize it and prevent it from collapsing.
Mayor Su Chen-wei had earlier said that 48 residential buildings were damaged by the earthquake. The ground floors of some of these damaged buildings collapsed, causing them to lean dangerously. More than a thousand people have been injured in the earthquake. At least four of the nine killed were inside Taroko National Park. According to the National Fire Agency, about 150 people are missing. About two dozen tourists and some other people were stranded in the park. The Ministry of Health and Welfare said 64 other workers were working in a rock mine.
According to the ministry, six workers were airlifted from another mine as roads were damaged by falling rocks and access became difficult. The ministry said that many people, including six university students, are reported to be still trapped. According to the ministry, officials could not contact about 50 people stranded in the national park, most of whom are hotel employees.
