At least 11 people have been killed and 30 others are still missing after a 6.4 magnitude quake struck the residential Taiwanese city of Tainan.
The earthquake occurred over the weekend at around 4.00am local time while most people were at home asleep.
Reports say the tremor was damaged several houses around the city and contributed to the collapse of a high-rise building, which was home to around 100 families.
Four people inside the building were killed – a young girl, two adult men and one baby.
#Taiwan #earthquake. Friend sent me this. He and his family are okay. pic.twitter.com/9lSbRbxPae
— Juan Fernandez (@NewsJuan) February 5, 2016
Seventy others from the 17-storey Wei Kuan complex were taken to hospital for injuries and according to Tainan’s mayor, another 30 people are still believed to be trapped inside. He assures that they are still alive.
Rescue workers are frantically trying to get to trapped locals out and have been seen using ladders to climb over unstable parts of the rubble.
So far, there have been no reports of damage to any tourist sites or fatalities amongst overseas visitors.
Rescue workers search for survivors after #Taiwan hit by major earthquake. Death toll rises to 5 people. pic.twitter.com/DwDQBxwbni
— AJ+ (@ajplus) February 6, 2016
The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) is yet to update its advice for the destination and currently recommends Aussies ‘exercise normal safety precautions’.
KarryOn spoke to Taiwan’s local tourism representative, Pearl Lee, who said the earthquake occurred well out of the Taipei, the destination’s tourism capital.
She said that so far there have been no reports of any injured travellers and all tourism structures remain in tact.
“Taipei is not affected at all. It’s so far away from where the earthquake occurred.”
Pearl Lee, Taiwan Tourism Market Representative, Australia and NZ
A small section of the country’s high speed rail track was slightly damaged, but has since been repaired.
