At least nine people have been confirmed dead and 882 injured as an earthquake hit off Taiwan’s eastern coast.
The earthquake, measuring 7.2 magnitude, is Taiwan’s strongest in 25 years.
It was felt in the capital Taipei as well as in southern Japan, eastern China and the Philippines.
It caused building collapses, power outages and sparked initial tsunami warnings in southern Japan and the Philippines.
More than 70 people remain trapped but are believed to be alive, including some in a coal mine.
Fifty people on minibuses are missing after phone networks went down.
The United States Geological Survey (USGS) disclosed that the quake’s epicentre was 18km (11 miles) south of Taiwan’s Hualien city at a depth of 34.8km.
Of the nine people confirmed dead so far, three were hikers who were killed in rockslides in Taroko National Park, which is in Hualien county.
Authorities said the three, who were part of a group of seven on an early-morning hike through the hills that surround the city, were crushed to death by boulders loosened by the earthquake, officials said.
Separately, the drivers of a truck and a car died when their vehicles were hit by tumbling boulders, while another man died at a mine.
In a post on X, Taiwanese President, Tsai Ing-wen stated that disaster response was under way following the earthquake and aftershocks.
“I’m deeply grateful for the messages of support we have received from around the world, and to our first responders for their life-saving work,” Tsai noted.
“My heart is with everyone affected. Please keep in touch with loved ones, and stay safe,” she added.
Taiwan is located along the so-called Pacific Ring of Fire; the horseshoe-shaped line of seismic faults encircling the Pacific Ocean where most of the world’s earthquakes occur.
The area is particularly vulnerable to quakes due to the tension accumulated from the interactions of two tectonic plates, the Philippine Sea Plate and the Eurasian Plate, which may lead to sudden releases.
The region’s mountainous landscape can magnify the ground shaking, leading to landslides.
Taiwan’s government continually revises the level of quake resistance required of new and existing buildings and offers subsidies to residents willing to check the quake resistance of their buildings.
“Taiwan’s earthquake preparedness is among the most advanced in the world,” Stephen Gao, a seismologist and professor at Missouri University of Science and Technology, told a news agency.
“The island has implemented strict building codes, a world-class seismological network and widespread public education campaigns on earthquake safety.”
“These measures have significantly enhanced Taiwan’s resilience to earthquakes, helping to mitigate the potential for catastrophic damage and loss of life.”
Stephen Gao
Expressions Of Concern
Japan’s Prime Minister, Fumio Kishida took to X to express his sadness about the earthquake in Taiwan.
Addressing the people of Taiwan, he said that he was “deeply saddened” to hear about the earthquake, noting it had caused extensive damage.
“I would like to express my heartfelt sympathies to those affected,” he wrote in Japanese.
“We are grateful for the heartwarming support we received from our dear friends in Taiwan during the Great East Japan earthquake [in 2011] and the recent Noto Peninsula earthquake, and Japan stands ready to provide any assistance necessary to Taiwan, our neighbour across the sea, in times of difficulty.”
Fumio Kishida
China’s Taiwan Affairs Office also expressed its concern about the earthquake and offered assistance. It extended heartfelt condolences to those affected.
In addition, Ferdinand Marcos Jr expressed his country’s support to the people of Taiwan following the quake.
In a post on X, the Philippine President also said his government was “diligently ensuring” the safety of the nearly 160,000 Filipinos residing in Taiwan.
“We stand ready to assist and support our fellow Filipinos in Taiwan in any way possible during this difficult period,” he said.
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