On the night of Wednesday, the strongest earthquake in 25 years hit Taiwan and caused massive destruction in several places.
The ground shook, buildings collapsed and a tsunami warning was issued when a colossal earthquake hit Taiwan overnight on Wednesday.
Nine people have so far lost their lives, over 900 have been injured and 50 people have been reported missing after the earthquake, which was said to have been felt all over the Chinese city of Shanghai.
This is written by the news media Reuters.
As the day progressed, so did the rescue work. Civilians have been helped out of collapsed houses and rescue teams are working at high pressure in several places.
But a mystery has spread in the Taiwanese media, says Alexander Sjöberg, Berlingske’s Asia correspondent in Taiwan.
Four buses with around 50 people in them were said to have disappeared. In any case, the authorities have lost contact with them, writes Reuters.
– There is a mystery about four buses that were supposed to be in the national park Taroko, which you cannot get in touch with, says Alexander Sjöberg.
According to Alexander Sjöberg, the buses should have been driven through the large national park when the earthquake struck. And now they are nowhere to be found.
– What has happened to these buses, and the people who were in them, no one knows at this time.
Taroko Gorge National Park is located on the eastern side of Taiwan, where the earthquake hit hardest.
The fire service announced today that they had evacuated around 70 people, including two Germans, who were trapped in tunnels near Taroko.
But the rescue team had subsequently lost contact with the 50 people in the buses who were on their way to a hotel located in the national park.
They have not yet been found.
The locals ask themselves: What happens now?
When Alexander Sjöberg walked through the streets of Taiwan’s capital Taipei today, a strange atmosphere had spread.
– It felt as if people were waiting for something, says Alexander Sjöberg
Because even though the big earthquake is over and the huge clean-up and rescue work is in full swing, many locals are holding their breath a little longer.
There is a risk of aftershocks.
According to the authorities, there may be aftershocks with a strength of up to 7 on the Richter scale within the next four days.
– This is something that is talked about here. This is actually the big conversation. So, what happens now?, says Alexander Sjöberg.
According to the United States Geological Survey (USGS), the earthquake that struck Taiwan on the night of Wednesday had a magnitude of 7.4 on the Richter scale.
An effective rescue operation
The current number of injured and dead will probably increase as the rescue work progresses, Alexander Sjöberg believes.
– Inside the collapsed buildings, there may be an unknown number of people, probably badly wounded and injured. The tragedy is great for people in Taiwan who are affected by this, he says.
But at the same time, there is also a sense of pride in the quick and effective rescue work among the population.
– Here on the island you are skilled. It has been tried before, so it is an extremely effective rescue operation that is underway right now, says Alexander Sjöborg.
It stands, according to him, as a small bright spot in an otherwise great tragedy.
– You are good at saving people, and people are proud of that.
