16 Dead in Taiwan Earthquake... Search Continues for 3 Missing Persons

Three Missing Persons Found Deceased

The death toll from the magnitude 7.2 earthquake (magnitude 7.4 as reported by U.S. and European seismic authorities) that struck Hualien (花蓮) County in eastern Taiwan on the 3rd has risen to 16.

According to Taiwan's Central News Agency on the 10th, the Taiwan Central Disaster Response Center announced that the bodies of three missing persons were found on the Sakadang Trail (a walking path) within Taroko (太魯閣) National Park in Hualien County, bringing the total number of deaths to 16. Currently, three people remain missing. The Singaporean couple of Australian nationality classified as missing have not yet been found, and in the Herun (和仁) mining area, where another missing person is believed to be, a large rock is blocking access, so explosives will be used to open a passage.

[Image source=EPA Yonhap News]

Taiwan authorities consider the initial earthquake response phase to be concluded and plan to shift to a 'regular response' mode, conducting search and rescue operations concurrently. Feng Junyi, Deputy Director of Taiwan's Fire Department (Fire Agency), said, "The earthquake disaster response has entered the recovery and reconstruction phase," adding, "The Central Disaster Response Center will restore the regular response mechanism starting from 6 p.m. today."

According to Taiwan authorities, as of 8 a.m. on the day marking one week since the first earthquake at 7:58 a.m. local time on the 3rd, a total of 815 aftershocks have occurred, mainly centered around Hualien County. Within 24 hours after the initial quake on the 3rd, there were 314 aftershocks, but from 8 a.m. the previous day to 8 a.m. on this day, only 33 aftershocks were recorded, indicating a decrease in aftershock frequency over the week.