After a 7.2-magnitude earthquake struck Taiwan on Wednesday, rescue teams were still working to find nearly 700 people who were trapped or unable to communicate. The earthquake, which was also felt in parts of Japan and the Philippines, was the strongest to hit Taiwan in over 25 years.
The National Fire Agency is currently in contact with 663 trapped people and another 38 are missing. One of the last victims was a 65-year-old man who was hiking at the time of the earthquake. Rescue workers have been focusing their efforts on finding those trapped in a quarry and gorge where hotel workers and tourists are still stuck.
The city most affected by the earthquake is Hualien, with a population of over 99,000 people. Although all individuals trapped in buildings were rescued, many residents were forced to spend the night outdoors or in tents for fear of aftershocks. In total, over 961 people were evacuated from the affected areas and nearly 619 had to be relocated.
The Taiwanese government has prioritized reconstruction and relief efforts in Hualien, allocating NT$300 million for this purpose. However, rescue efforts have been hampered by more than 300 aftershocks that hit the region within just three days of the main earthquake. Authorities have warned that additional tremors may occur in the coming days.
Despite significant damage caused by the earthquake, Taiwan’s semiconductor manufacturing industry remains largely unaffected. The industry plays a crucial role in global chip production and reported minimal damage to its facilities during the earthquake. TSMC, one of the largest semiconductor manufacturers, was able to restore about 70% of its production within ten hours of
