On April 3, Taiwan's east coast was hit by a massive earthquake measuring 7.4 on the Richter scale, the strongest tremor the region has experienced in the last 25 years. According to the scale established in 1935, a magnitude seven quake is equivalent to a 20 billion-tonne TNT explosion.

The quake's epicentre, Hualien County, is home to around 300,000 of the island's 23 million inhabitants. It was followed by several strong aftershocks that were felt across the island, including Taipei. Shocks of up to seven magnitude are expected in the following days. More seismic events of up to magnitude seven are anticipated in the coming days.

Social media platforms have been flooded with videos capturing the disaster's horrific aftermath. Among these, an 11-second video stands out, depicting a city train carriage packed with passengers on their daily commute. The footage depicts the train swaying with increasing violence, and its abrupt termination underscores the passengers’ struggle to maintain their balance amidst the chaos.

According to the latest reports from Taiwan, nine people were killed in the tremors, and nearly 900 were injured. Emergency services are currently working hard to reach all those injured and trapped. Hospitals in Taiwan's capital, Taipei, operate normally, although the local government reports that seven were damaged by aftershocks.

According to the National Fire Agency (NFA), more than 100 buildings were partially destroyed, with photos showing multi-storey buildings tilted or collapsed to the ground. Around two-thirds of all Hualien County inhabitants live in remote coastal or mountain communities, which are difficult to reach. This makes it challenging to fully understand the extent and consequences of the quake, and it may take some time to assess the full impact of the disaster.

Source: cnn.com