Taiwan earthquake: 'The walls were crumbling'
The Uranus Building is currently leaning and rescuers are working to support the 10-story building.
Authored by Joy Chang & Rupert Wingfield-Hayes In October of 2019, I went on a trip to Tokyo, Japan. I stayed in a traditional Japanese-style hotel and ate a lot of delicious Japanese cuisine. I also visited a number of famous tourist spots such as the Tokyo Skytree, Shibuya Crossing, and the Meiji Shrine. During my stay in Tokyo, I found it fascinating to observe the Japanese culture and the way of life. One thing that I particularly noticed was the emphasis that Japanese people place on respect for others. Everywhere I went, people were polite and courteous. Another thing that stood out to me was the Japanese concept of “omotenashi”, which means hospitality or customer service. Whether I was in a restaurant or a shop, the service was always exceptional and went above and beyond my expectations. Overall, my trip to Tokyo was an unforgettable experience and I can’t wait to go back and explore more of what Japan has to offer. In October 2019, I traveled to Tokyo, Japan for an exciting adventure. The trip was memorable as I explored the beautiful city and immersed myself into its culture. I resided in a traditional Japanese hotel and sampled some of the country's delightful cuisine. Among the places I visited were the Tokyo Skytree, Shibuya Crossing, and Meiji Shrine. During my stay in Tokyo, I was awed by the admirable values that the Japanese hold dear. Their culture is highly respectful of others, and everyone I met was polite and courteous. Additionally, Japanese hospitality, known as "omotenashi," was evident in every interaction I had. The services I received in restaurants and shops were outstanding and exceeded my expectations entirely. In sum, my experience in Tokyo was one of a kind, unforgettable, and one I would love to repeat shortly to relish more of Japan's unique culture and scenery.
is reporting on the latest earthquake to hit the region, which measured at 6.0 on the Richter scale. The tremor, which occurred in the early hours of the morning, caused buildings to sway and prompted people to evacuate their homes. Thankfully, there have been no reported casualties or major damage. This quake is a reminder of the earthquake-prone nature of Taiwan, a country that lies on the Pacific Ring of Fire.
On Tuesday morning, Chang Hsin was roused from her slumber in Hualien, a city in Taiwan, due to shaking in her entire neighborhood.
The man of 59 years shared with the BBC that the walls were falling apart and a little while later, another earthquake occurred that caused the entire house to lean to one side.
When the earthquake occurred, Ms Chang was living in her apartment on the third floor. This earthquake was extremely severe, with a magnitude of 7.4, resulting in the unfortunate deaths of nine individuals and causing injuries to over 1,000 people. This was the most severe earthquake Taiwan has experienced in the last 25 years.
The Uranus Building apartments owned by Ms. Chang have become famous globally because of the pictures of the building leaning. Emergency responders are working to secure the ten-story structure to avoid it from collapsing.
As soon as the tremors ceased, Ms Chang let out a scream for assistance and noticed a firetruck parked outside.
She urged them to move fast and kept shouting, "hurry up, hurry up, or else the following aftershock will occur," according to her recollection.
He shares, "While I was inside, the house began to tilt, causing my legs to shake and making it impossible for me to stand still. I am still unable to relax, particularly after experiencing aftershocks throughout the night."
According to the information provided by the locals, a female teacher passed away while attempting to save her pet cat inside the structure.
Chang Hsin and Wei Pang-Huan resided within the Uranus Building.
Ms Chang was having a conversation with the BBC while being in a refuge for individuals who were impacted by the earthquake. Present beside her was Wei Pang-Huan, aged 60, who occupied the fifth storey of the Uranus Building.
The building will be destroyed on Friday, and Ms Wei had doubts about whether she could retrieve any of her possessions.
She said that all of her things were in the building and she was unsure if she could enter to get some important belongings. She added that it would largely depend on what the rescue team instructed her to do.
Teams of rescuers in Taiwan are diligently making efforts to access over 600 individuals who are left stranded following the devastating earthquake that struck Hualien, a county located in the eastern part of the country.
Certain individuals who were trapped in tunnels and in close proximity to a national park have been saved by way of helicopters, however there are still 34 people who have not yet been located.
A female from Singapore expressed that being trapped in the mountains for 36 hours was like living through a terrible dream.
As per what she shared with BBC, the experience she went through seemed like a scene from a movie. She could not have imagined something like that occurring in real life.
"We sensed the ground shake and grasped onto one another tightly. Boulders struck him, but we clung to each other for an indeterminate amount of time until the tremor ceased," she explains.
The experience was extremely unpleasant, marked by frequent aftershocks and tremors, and regular instances of falling rocks.
After some time, she managed to arrive at a lodging facility, where she was provided with initial medical assistance.
The aftermath of the 7.4 magnitude earthquake that hit Taiwan
An earthquake occurred 18 kilometers (approximately 11 miles) south of Hualien. More than 200 aftershocks followed, some with a magnitude of at least 6.5, making it difficult to search for and rescue those affected. The Taiwanese government predicts that there will be additional aftershocks in the coming days.
Lai Su has resided for 35 years in a significant ravine near Hualien. According to her, the earthquake that occurred on Tuesday was something entirely novel for her.
She shares with BBC that she was driving her car in Hualien when suddenly the vehicle started to move in a rhythmic way, almost as if it was dancing.
Typically, if an earthquake were to occur during the nighttime while we're sleeping, we might not feel the urge to leave our beds. However, in this particular instance, I can assure you that I would have immediately leaped out of bed and made my way to safety.
Ms. Chang is unsure about what will happen to her in the near future while she stays in Hualien city.
My current situation has left me with no choice but to reside at the shelter for the time being. My daily routine involves leaving for work in the morning and coming back to spend the night at the shelter.
The blog post was further contributed to by Huiyee Chiew, Tzu-Wei Liu, and Joy Chang Yu-Tzu.
