
A powerful earthquake has shaken Taiwan, with seven dead, 736 injured and 77 people trapped under the roots.
The 7.4-magnitude earthquake toppled several buildings in Hualien County and left many others leaning, due to the way they were constructed.
According to the Taiwan Meteorological Administration, the epicenter of the earthquake was detected in waters 25 kilometers south of Hualien County and 138 kilometers from Taipei. Hualien County reported the collapse of 26 buildings, with rescue teams working to pull out people trapped under the rubble.
All counties and cities on the island sent special search teams. President Tsai Ing-wen created an office to coordinate the emergency response to the earthquake and sent the armed forces to the worst affected areas. Power outages were reported across the island, which was mostly restored around 10:30 this morning (03:00 in Albania).
Aerial footage of the Hualien earthquake shows a large landslide on the Chongde slope of the Suhua Expressway, where a large area collapsed. Transport Minister Wang Guocai said the entire Qingshui Bridge on the north side of the Daqingshui Tunnel had collapsed. This was announced by Taiwanese media.