Taiwan searches for 18 still missing after Wednesday’s quake
Al Jazeera
Strict building codes and widespread public disaster awareness appear to have staved off a major catastrophe.
Rescuers in Taiwan are continuing their search for 18 people still missing after a magnitude 7.2 earthquake struck the island’s rugged east coast.
Wednesday’s earthquake in the mountainous and sparsely populated eastern county of Hualien killed 10 people, injured more than 1,000 and left hundreds stranded in a national park as landslides cut off roads.
On Friday, Taiwan’s fire department said 18 people were still missing, including six on a hiking trail, and four foreigners previously listed as being Indian, Canadian and Australian.
Rescuers confirmed that about 400 people cut off at a resort in the scenic Taroko National Park were safe, with helicopters taking in supplies and bringing out the injured.
“We’re assessing the possibility of rain today, so our search and rescue colleagues will be equipped with rain gear. However, rain increases the risks of rockfalls and landslides, which are currently the biggest challenges we face,” said Su Yu-ming, captain of the Kaohsiung city search and rescue team.
