Rescue operations continue in Taiwan, where the strongest earthquake in 25 years struck the island nation, damaging buildings, killing 10 people and injuring hundreds more.
Rescuers continued the search Friday for dozens of people still missing after a 7.2 magnitude earthquake rocked Taiwan, killed at least 12 people and injured more than 1,000.
The quake struck the sparsely populated, largely rural eastern county of Hualien, stranding hundreds in a national park as boulders barreled down mountains, cutting off roads. The death toll rose after searchers found two more bodies in the mountains, Taiwan’s fire department said. Rescue efforts have been complicated bad weather.
« Rain increases the risks of rockfalls and landslides, which are currently the biggest challenges, » Su Yu-ming, the leader of a search and rescue team, told Reuters. « These factors are unpredictable, which means we cannot confirm the number of days required for the search and rescue operations. »
Buildings across the island nation tilt at odd angles and threaten to collapse as workers attempt to stabilize the structures. In the city of Hualien, near the epicenter on Taiwan’s east coast, Mayor Hsu Chen-wei said 48 residential buildings were damaged by Wednesday’s quake and subsequent aftershocks, according to the Associated Press.
