Rescue effort in massive Taiwan earthquake may take a 'Herculean effort': Updates

After a massive earthquake killed nine and injured over 1,000 people early Wednesday, rescuers in Taiwan were combing through the rubble to find scores of people missing or trapped, while experts say a slew of aftershocks could make the search and rescue even more dangerous.

Taiwan's National Fire Agency said at least 1,050 people were injured when the earthquake, measured as 7.2 magnitude by Taiwan officials and 7.4 by the U.S. Geological Survey, struck near the east coast city of Hualien at about 8 a.m. local time. Hualien is a popular tourist destination 100 miles south of Taipei, where buildings swayed and some damage was reported. A series of aftershocks followed, reaching up to 6.4 magnitude.

Some buildings tumbled or were leaning precariously while scores of people were trapped inside the damaged structures. Around two dozen of almost 50 hotel workers on their way to a resort in Taroko National Park had been located.

The temblor set off a tsunami warning for southern Japan and the Philippines that was later lifted.

"It was very strong. It felt as if the house was going to topple," said Chang Yu-lin, 60, a worker in a hospital in the capital of Taipei.

Taiwan has developed significant search-and-rescue capabilities, but it's a difficult undertaking to identify and recover victims who may be buried deep under concrete while dodging the perils of aftershocks, said Joseph Barbera, an emergency physician and professor of engineering management and systems engineering at the George Washington University. Barbera was part of a response team deployed by the United States Agency for International Development to the 1999 Jiji earthquake that killed over 2,400 people in Taiwan.

"The issue of trying to identify anyone that might be alive can be difficult. Then getting to those that you’ve located that are deeply entombed can require a Herculean effort with multidisciplinary teams," Barbera told USA TODAY.

The death toll may rise some in the coming days as search teams sift through collapsed structures, Barbera said.

In Hualien, the city's mayor, Hsu Chen-Wei, said by the end of the day everyone in buildings there that are considered dangerous had been evacuated and demolition had begun on four.

The White House said Wednesday morning that it is monitoring the impacts from the earthquake on Taiwan and Japan. "The United States stands ready to provide any necessary assistance. All those affected are in our prayers," National Security Council spokesperson Adrienne Watson said in a statement.

Developments:

? On Thursday morning, a helicopter rescued six people who had been trapped in a mining area, the fire department said.

? The railway line to Hualien re-opened ahead of schedule on Thursday, although one rural station north of Hualien city remains closed due to damage, the railway administration said.

? Officials in Taiwan's air force said six F-16 fighter jets were slightly damaged in the earthquake, but they are expected to return to service soon.

? Wu said an investigation is underway to determine why not all Taiwanese received a nationwide alert issued following the quake.

? There was no tsunami threat to Hawaii, the U.S. Pacific territory of Guam or the west coast of North America, the U.S. National Tsunami Warning Center said.

Earthquake rocks Taiwan: Strongest temblor in 25 years

Taiwan's earthquake preparedness may have spared lives, damage

Taiwan, prone to earthquakes, sits on the Pacific “Ring of Fire” where 90% of the world's temblors take place. Emergency services are prepared for quake rescue and recovery. The densely populated island nation is also exceptionally well prepared for earthquakes, Barbera said, which makes the damage from Wednesday's quake potentially much less than it would be otherwise.

Taiwan is a "model" for its seismic building codes and strict enforcement of them, he said. Critical buildings that need to function in emergencies are built on a foundation that allows for it to roll during a quake, he said. Taipei 101, a skyscraper that once held the title of tallest building in the world, features a famous tuned mass damper, essentially a massive pendulum that sways during an earthquake to counteract and limit any swaying of the building.

"There's a dramatic difference between building failures – structural failures, not just buildings – in Taiwan versus other other countries that have similar size earthquakes," Barbera said. "They’ve had a true commitment for decades to risk reduction."

'We are frightened. We are so nervous.'

Linda Chen, 48, said her apartment in downtown Hualien city had been so badly damaged in an earlier earthquake in 2018 that she had to move. But her new apartment block was damaged, too, in the latest earthquake.

"We worry the house could collapse anytime. We thought we had already experienced it once in Hualien and it would not hit us again, because God has to be fair," she said.

"We are frightened. We are so nervous."

? Reuters

Aftershocks near epicenter could continue for days

At least 29 aftershocks above a 4.9 magnitude have rumbled near the city of Hualien on Wednesday, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. Dozens more have been clocked by Taiwan's Central Weather Administration.

Wu Chien-fu, director of Taiwan’s Seismology Center, said aftershocks reaching 7.0 could shake the nation of 23 million people for three or four more days. Over a dozen aftershocks on Wednesday were greater than 5.0 in magnitude, and one was over 6.0, USGS data shows.

Aftershocks are a sequence of smaller quakes that are a part of the "readjustment process" along a fault line where a main shock took place, the USGS said. They can continue for days, weeks, months or even years after a large earthquake, and their frequency usually decreases with time.

Dozens rescued from tunnels where they were trapped

Over 70 people have been evacuated from tunnels near Hualien City, fire authorities said. Video published by Taiwan National Fire Agency shows responders conducting search-and-rescue operations underneath collapsed buildings.

The rescued people include two German nationals.

Where did the earthquake strike?

The earthquake’s epicenter was 6 miles northeast of the small town of Hualien City.

The area is known by some as “the Hawaii of Taiwan” because of its warm, tropical weather, lush greenery and crystal clear ocean waters. In addition, it’s home to the Taroko Gorge, a stunning natural granite gorge with transparent turquoise and dark blue water that is a destination for hikers.

Signs along the pathways and hiking trails in the gorge warn visitors of possible falling rocks. Five-star hotels in the town of Hualien and in the vicinity of Taroko National Park where the gorge is located cater to tourists from around the globe coming to see and hike the area.

? Elizabeth Weise

Videos show dramatic moments when earthquake hit

Social media videos showed rescuers using ladders to help trapped people out of windows. Buildings could be seen collapsing onto streets as landslides swept across roads and highways. Bridges swayed and items on shelves splattered onto the ground. Some damage was reported to the Taipei subway system, which closed briefly before resuming partial service.

"At present the most important thing, the top priority, is to rescue people," said President-elect Lai Ching-te, speaking outside one of collapsed buildings in Hualien.

Rescue and recovery efforts underway 

The quake shook Taipei, knocking out power in several parts of the city. Elsewhere, authorities said they had lost contact with 50 travelers aboard four minibuses heading to a hotel in a national park, Taroko Gorge.

Taiwan’s President Tsai Ing-wen said the military will be deployed to help with rescue and recovery operations. She pledged that federal and local governments would cooperate with each other to "minimize the impact of the disasters."

Shallow quake was close to land

Wu said the quake's epicenter was very shallow and close to land, the result of movement in the Philippine Sea Plate. He said it felt strong in Taipei because of the “basin effect,” which occurs when earthquake reverberations become trapped in soft ground.

The quake was Taiwan's largest since the 1999 Jiji earthquake that killed over 2,400 people and injured 11,300 more.

Nuclear power stations unaffected

Most power has been restored after the quake, electricity utility Taipower said, with the island's two nuclear power stations unaffected.

Taiwan's high-speed rail operator said no damage or injuries were reported on its trains, although services would be delayed as it made inspections.

A major supplier of chips to Apple and Nvidia, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. said it had evacuated some fabrication plants and safety systems were operating normally. Nvidia said it expects no supply disruptions from the earthquake.

It said later its workers were safe and had returned to their workplaces shortly after the earthquake, adding that impacted facilities were expected to resume production during the night.

Contributing: Reuters 

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Taiwan earthquake live updates: Aftershocks rumble; rescues underway