Taipei: Following an earthquake in Taiwan, the demolition of a leaning building in Hualien was halted due to aftershocks exacerbating its precarious position, as reported by media sources. The striking red building, towering about 10 stories high and leaning over a street in Hualien, has become an emblematic image of the recent magnitude 7.4 earthquake. The quake also caused casualties, including people buried under boulders at the nearby Taroko National Park, situated roughly 25 kilometers (15 miles) northwest of Hualien.
The death toll has climbed to 13, with another victim discovered on the Shakadang Trail within the park. Additionally, six individuals remain unaccounted for, including three on the same trail. Over 400 people are stranded in inaccessible areas due to quake-induced damage, with many seeking refuge at a hotel within Taroko Park. Since the earthquake struck off Taiwan's east coast on Wednesday morning, hundreds of aftershocks have rattled the area, including a magnitude-5.2 tremor on Saturday. Survivors have recounted frightening experiences of rocks cascading onto roadways, trapping them in tunnels until rescue teams could reach them.
The relatively low number of fatalities from the powerful quake is attributed to stringent construction standards and extensive public education campaigns on the earthquake-prone island. This quake stands as the strongest to hit Taiwan since a magnitude 7.7 earthquake in 1999, which claimed the lives of 2,400 people. Rescue efforts are underway to recover two bodies trapped beneath boulders on the Shakadang Trail, though search and recovery operations were suspended Friday afternoon due to ongoing aftershocks.
In Hualien, city officials are consulting experts on the safest approach to continue the demolition of the leaning building. Prior to its demolition, ceremonial offerings were made as a symbolic gesture the previous day.
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