Taipei, TAIWAN – A major earthquake struck Taiwan today, toppling buildings and claiming lives.
The city of Hualien, is at the epicenter, according to Taiwan’s Central Weather Administration, on Taiwan’s east coast. The Central Weather Administration reported the quake measured 7.3 on the Richter scale.
Aftershocks ranging from 3.3 to 6.5 scale continue, according to the weather administration.
The earthquake, now dubbed the “April 3rd Earthquake” by Taiwanese netizens, caused severe damage to various buildings in Hualien and other areas.
Yilin Tsai, a teacher who was visiting Hualien when the earthquake happened, reported the collapse of a building’s first-floor breakfast restaurant. He also said a building across from Hotel Les Champs (麗翔酒店) tilted dangerously.
Tsai said he is not staying near the collapsed buildings but that his plans are changed because the university building where he was going suffered damage.
Reporters from CNA News reported fallen construction material, broken windows, cracked roads, and collapsed buildings from other cities such as Taipei City, New Taipei City, Changhua and more.
The earthquake also impacted transportation. TVBS news editor Junyao Yi (易軍堯) and his crew reported a partial blockage of the Su-Hua Highway, the main road system that connects Taiwan’s northwest cities to Hualien.
Aside from landslides along the east coast, the road near one important tunnel (大清水隧道) completely collapsed, resulting in a complete block of the New Su-Hua Highway (蘇花改), the station reported.
The Taiwan Railway system paused operations in Hualien and other affected areas to inspect damage.
In Taipei, the Taipei Metro System also paused operations for an hour, according to Yahoo News reporter Chihyi Lin (林志怡).
Ten deaths from landslides, fallen debris, and collapsed buildings had been reported by Taiwan’s Central Emergency Operation Center as of 9 p.m. today.
Yuhan Tsai is a Junior Reporter with Youth Journalism International.
