The death toll from the earthquake in Taiwan rises to nine. More than 700 injured and dozens under rubble

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The number of fatalities rose to nine of the biggest earthquake in the last 25 years in Taiwan. According to local authorities, more than 800 people were injured and 50 are missing – due to network failures caused by the earthquake, contact was lost with 50 people traveling in minibuses.

A source from Taiwan’s national firefighting agency also reported that there are around 70 people under rubble, some in a coal mine, but authorities believe they will be able to rescue them alive.

The earthquake had a magnitude of 7.4 on the Richter scale and caused buildings to collapse, causing power outages and landslides on the island where around 23 million people live.

All deaths occurred in Hualien municipality. Three of the victims were hiking and were hit by rocks in the Taroko Gorge, a place frequently visited by tourists. The falling rocks also killed a truck driver who was about to enter a tunnel on the highway.

The US Geological Survey (USGS) placed the magnitude of the earthquake at 7.4, although the counterpart agency in Japan pegged the earthquake at 7.7 on the Richter scale.

The epicenter was near the tourist city of Hualien, on the east coast of Taiwan, damaging buildings and trapping residents inside. Several aftershocks prevented rescue and rescue teams from immediately beginning work to extract survivors from the rubble.

“It was very strong [o sismo]. It felt like the house was going to fall,” said Chang Yu-lin, 60, a hospital worker in Taiwan’s capital, quoted by international agencies.

The earthquake was registered at 8:00 local time – one in the morning in Lisbon – and caught many people during rush hour, in the middle of their journey to work.

In the capital, Taipei, several people had to be evacuated from a collapsed building and some older buildings suffered less serious damage. Schools removed students to sports fields and rail transport was suspended, as well as metro service in the capital. Several companies are also not operating.

Wednesday’s earthquake was also felt in Japan and the Philippines, which activated a tsunami warning, which has since been lifted, and in several provinces along the southeast coast of China.