A magnitude-6.4 earthquake struck Tuesday near the coast of Taiwan, killing two hotel employees and injuring 144 other people, officials said.
The Central 亚洲天堂 Agency reported that the ground floor of the Marshal Hotel, a building in Hualien district, had caved in and people were believed to be trapped inside.
?? under Seismic Swarm, dramatic rescues now. Taiwan in emergency.
— @GeoSciencesData? (@GeoSciencesData)
POWERFUL M 6.5 + strong aftershocks.
LOCAL INTENSITY: Hualien City 7 - Tailuge 7 - Nan ao 7 - Yanliao 6.
Just 188 people injured & 2 fatalities officially.
Strong Replies persist .
Taiwanese media reported that a separate hotel known as the Beautiful Life Hotel was tilting.
The agency also posted photos showing a road fractured in several parts.
The U.S. Geological Survey said the quake struck late Tuesday about 21 kilometres (13 miles) northeast of Hualien, on the island’s east coast. It occurred at a depth of about 9.5 kilometres (6 miles).
And just keep shaking.
— Vlad?衛德 (@Stutsies)
The earthquake followed one over the weekend off the coast of Hualien, which lies along the famed “Pacific Rim of Fire” known for seismic activity from Alaska to Southeast Asia.
Search teams from other areas were headed to Hualien.
The Associated Press
