• By Abhirupa Kundu
  • Thu, 04 Apr 2024 08:12 AM (IST)
  • Source:JND
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Taiwan's 7.2 magnitude earthquake on March 3 shook the entire nation becoming the strongest quake that jolted the country in 25 years. The tremblor has till now taken away nine lives and more than 1,000 were reported to be injured with 52 still missing. The earthquake was mainly focused on the largely rural and scarcely populated area of Hualien situated in the eastern county.

Visuals from the moment of quake struck showed buildings shaking violently and some even getting tilted due to the jolt. The disaster management command centre said the search for the hotel workers on their way to Taroko Gorge, a national park, was a major focus for them.

Here Are The Top Updates Of The Taiwan Earthquake:

-The total number of people missing was said to be 52, among which included two Indians, one man and a woman who was last seen in Tarako Gorge, close to the epicentre of the earthquake. According to a report by the Associated Press, a search operation is underway for the missing Indians.

-Taiwan's fire department said the number of injuries had reached 1,038 as of Thursday. About two dozen tourists were also stranded in the Tarako National park, where four people died after the quake, the state Central News Agency reported.

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- Most of the fatalities were caused by falling rocks, including four people who were struck inside Taroko National Park. One died in a residential building that was damaged.

-Around a dozen of the hotel workers on their way to a resort in Taroko National Park had been located, with 38 of them still listed as missing. Authorities are using drones and helicopters to look for people in the gorge and will drop supplies to them when they are found.

-On Thursday, a helicopter rescued six people who had been trapped in a mining area, the fire department said. The railway line to Hualien also re-opened ahead of schedule on Thursday, though one rural station north of Hualien city remains closed due to damage, the railway administration said.

-Soon after the earthquake, a small tsunami washed ashore on southern Japanese islands but caused no damage. The Japan Meteorological Agency said a tsunami of 30 centimeters (about 1 foot) was detected on the coast of Yonaguni island about 15 minutes after the quake struck. Smaller waves were measured in Ishigaki and Miyako islands.

-The earthquake was felt in Shanghai and provinces along China’s southeastern coast, according to Chinese media. China and Taiwan are about 160 kilometers (100 miles) apart.