It has been a terrible Saturday morning for people of southern Taiwan. Rescuers pulled out 256 people and nearly five dead from a residential 17 story building that collapsed when 6.4-magnitude earthquake struck before dawn Saturday.
Soldiers and Firefighters jumped quick into action with cranes, ladders and other equipment to the building that was folded like an accordion in a pile of rubble and twisted metal and extracted dazed survivors. Reports has confirmed that 256 people were removed from damaged buildings and five people dead including a 10 days old infant. As of midday, dozens of people remained trapped, bruised and injured inside.
It knocked out 69 power lines, affected more than 121,000 households in the city and the epicenter of the earthquake was reported to be on the island, not offshore, stated U.S. Geological Survey geophysicist Paul Caruso.
A massive breath-taking 7.3-magnitude earthquake had been struck in the central Taiwan in 1999 that killed about 2,400 people.
Taiwan President Ma Ying-jeou who is checking the situation has said that every effort was being taken to rescue survivors. A 1,200-bed shelter was established at a nearby military school.
