Taiwan reels from its most powerful earthquake in 25 years

The earthquake, striking with a magnitude of 7.4 on the Richter scale, affected the eastern coast of Taiwan on April 3rd. These have been the most significant shocks in this area in a quarter of a century. According to the nine-degree scale created in 1935, an earthquake of seven points is equivalent to the explosion of 20 billion tons of TNT.

The epicentre of the earthquake was in Hualien County, where about 300,000 of the island's 23 million inhabitants live. It is a sovereign democracy with a notable impact on global business and trade. After the quake, the island experienced several strong aftershocks, including in Taipei, with aftershocks of up to seven points anticipated in the following days.

Many videos from the scene have been shared on social media. One particularly harrowing 11-second clip shows a city tram filled with passengers on their way to work, swaying increasingly violently, abruptly ending as those standing lose their balance.

As per the latest updates from Taiwan, nine people are dead, and close to 900 were injured. Rescue efforts are racing against time to reach all those affected and trapped. In Taipei, the capital, hospitals are operating as usual, although according to local government reports, seven suffered damage from the aftershocks.

The National Fire Agency (NFA) has reported that over 100 buildings have been partially destroyed. Images depict tilted and collapsed multi-storey buildings. In Hualien County, where two-thirds of the population live in remote coastal or mountain communities, it might take some time to comprehend the full extent and consequences of Wednesday's earthquake.

Source: cnn.com