Disaster: Trapped people freed after quake in Taiwan

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Trapped people freed after quake in Taiwan

People who were still stuck in Taroko National Park after the earthquake on April 3rd were rescued and left the helicopter accompanied by rescue workers. photo

© -/kyodo/dpa

Tourists and locals waited for several days in Taroko National Park, which was badly hit by the quake. Now they are freed. But the anxious hours are not yet over for everyone.

After the worst earthquake in almost 25 years Taiwan rescue workers have evacuated hundreds of people trapped in dangerous places. More than 400 tourists and locals still stuck in Taroko National Park were taken to safe locations by helicopter or vehicles, authorities said. There were also several Germans among the tourists. In the area in Hualien County on Taiwan’s east coast, the 7.2 strong earthquake damaged roads and caused landslides, according to local authorities.

According to the latest information from the fire department, 38 people stayed behind in four locations to carry out further tasks. For example, they were employees of a hotel where many survivors had stayed. Others remained at a power plant, a Catholic church and a leisure center.

At least 13 people died in Wednesday’s earthquake, officials said. Meanwhile, more than 1,140 others were considered injured. Six people were still being searched for. A rescue team from Turkey took part in the search, which also used drones to gain further insight.

Authorities also released surveillance video that showed an Australian couple leaving a bus about 40 minutes before the quake on a hiking trail where rescue workers had previously discovered three bodies among huge boulders. Interior Minister Lin Yu-chang said the search would now focus on a specific section of that route.

dpa

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