Taiwan quake: 9 dead, 1,000+ injured and dozens still missing
AMN / WEB DESK
Search and rescue efforts continue in Taiwan following Wednesday’s deadly earthquake. Authorities say at least 9 people have been confirmed dead and 42 missing in Hualien County, with more than 1,000 injured in the county and elsewhere.
On Thursday morning, people waited at a station in a village in the north of Hualien, close to the epicenter. Many who had been stranded by the quake tried to catch the first train.
A woman said: “I was on my way to work on Wednesday when the quake hit.
Train services stopped and roads were cut off, making it impossible to return home.”
A man said: “I have lived here for more than 50 years and never experienced such a strong earthquake before. I want to go home right away because tremors continued last night and this morning.”
Taiwan meteorological officials say the magnitude 7.2 quake struck off Hualien’s coast Wednesday morning. Strong tremors also hit across Taiwan, including Taipei and New Taipei.
Strong earthquake in Taiwan forces evacuation in Okinawa, Japan
A tsunami warning was issued for Japan’s southern island prefecture of Okinawa on Wednesday morning after a strong earthquake near Taiwan. The warning was later lifted, but it disrupted transportation and prompted tourists and local residents to evacuate.
According to airline companies, 98 flights to and from Okinawa were cancelled. All operations at Naha airport, the largest, were suspended, and people were urged to move to the 3rd or 4th floors of the building.