Taiwan earthquake: 70 miners trapped in mines after tremor, authorities say | World

Seventy miners are trapped in mines in Taiwan after the strong earthquake that hit the country this Wednesday (3).

Taiwan’s National Fire Fighting Agency said miners were trapped in the quake’s epicenter region.

Sixty-four people were trapped in one coal mine and six people were trapped in a different mine, according to the agency. Authorities stated that work to rescue the miners had not yet begun.

A strong 7.7 magnitude earthquake left nine dead and 946 injured in Taiwan, this Wednesday morning (3), local time. Tsunami risk warnings were issued for Japan and the Philippines.

What is known so far:

• This is the strongest earthquake recorded in Taiwan in the last 25 years.
• According to the Japan Meteorological Agency, a magnitude 7.7 tremor was recorded off the east coast of Taiwan.
• At least 26 buildings collapsed, more than half of them in the city of Hualien.
• Authorities said 77 people were trapped in the rubble of properties damaged by the earthquake.
• Another 50 people, most of them tourists, who were in four minibuses, are missing.
• In Taipei, part of the city was left without power. A video shows frightened passengers inside a subway car.
• After the tremor, tsunami warnings were issued for islands in Japan and the Philippines and canceled about three hours later.
• The earthquake was also felt in coastal Chinese cities, including Shanghai.

According to authorities, the four people who died were in the mountainous and sparsely populated county of Hualien, which is close to the epicenter of the quake on the island’s east coast, about 150 km from the capital, Taipei. Several properties were damaged in the region, including two buildings that collapsed.

According to the Japan Meteorological Agency, the tremor was magnitude 7.7. It would have occurred just 15.5 km from the surface, which explains the high destructive power.

Across the country, at least 26 buildings collapsed, according to authorities. Rescuers worked to rescue dozens of people who were trapped among the rubble. The government put the number of injured at 821.

According to authorities, around 50 people — most of them tourists — who were in four minibuses and were going to visit a national park are missing. There is no confirmation about their nationality until the last update.

Landslides were also recorded after the quake. In the capital Taipei, part of the city was left without power. Cars were forced to stop on highways during the earthquake. See the video below:

Car camera records moment when earthquake shakes vehicles on Taiwan highway

A Brazilian man recorded the moment furniture and objects in his apartment move and he needs to leave his home. Check out:

Brazilian records video during the earthquake in Taiwan

Aftershocks could still be felt in Taipei, with more than 50 recorded, according to meteorological authorities.

Taiwan’s official news agency said this is the strongest earthquake recorded since 1999, 25 years ago, when a tremor killed 2,400 people and damaged 50,000 properties.

Tsunami risk warnings were issued by authorities for coastal areas of islands in Japan and the Philippines.

At first, authorities warned of waves of up to 3 meters on the Japanese island of Okinawa. Residents living in the region were ordered to evacuate.

About three hours after the earthquake, Japan canceled tsunami warnings. Japanese television NHK said waves measuring 30 centimeters were recorded on the Japanese island of Yonaguni, which is about 100 km off the east coast of Taiwan.

In the Philippines, the government also asked residents of coastal areas to leave their homes.