Southern Taiwan struck by powerful earthquake

A powerful quake struck southern Taiwan before dawn on Saturday near the city of Tainan, toppling a 17-storey apartment building where more than 100 people are still feared trapped.

Two people have so far been killed, including an infant girl, local TV reports said.

Rescuers mounted hydraulic ladders and a crane to scour the wreckage and pluck more than 120 survivors to safety, with at least 26 taken to hospital, a fire brigade official said.

The firefighters were hosing down part of the building to prevent a fire.

One elderly woman, wrapped in blankets, was strapped to a board and slowly slid down a ramp to the ground as the cries of those who were still trapped rang out.

Rescuers used dogs and acoustic equipment to pick up weaker signs of life among the rubble.

“There are 60 households in that building,” said Tainan City Government Fire Bureau information officer Lee Po Min, estimating that there might be about 240 people living there.

Several other buildings have also been damaged, including one that was pictured leaning at an alarming angle over a street in the city.

‘Ring of Fire’

Taiwan lies in the seismically active “Pacific Ring of Fire” zone.

It was struck by a magnitude 7.7 quake that killed more than 2,400 people in September 1999.

The US Geological Survey (USGS) said the latest quake, a magnitude 6.4, was centred 43km southeast of Tainan, a city of nearly 2 million people.

The quake was very shallow, at depth of 10km, which would have amplified its effects, the USGS said.

Taiwan’s China Post newspaper said on its website that more than one building collapsed in the quake.

“Collapsed buildings reported in Tainan, with rescue workers arriving on scene.

“The city government there has set up a level one emergency response centre.

“Onlookers are urged not to block access to emergency crews moving into the area,” the newspaper said.

Reuters