Taiwan Experiences The Big One! Buildings Fall In Tainan

% of readers think this story is Fact. Add your two cents.

A site where buildings collapsed is seen in this aerial picture taken after a powerful earthquake hit Tainan, southern Taiwan, February 6, 2016. REUTERS/Xinhua

Rescue workers search a collapsed building from an early morning earthquake in Tainan, Taiwan, Saturday, Feb. 6, 2016. A powerful, shallow earthquake struck southern Taiwan before dawn Saturday. (AP Photo/Wally Santana)

© 必PoTV / YouTube

Multiple buildings, including a 17-story residential tower, have collapsed after a powerful 6.4 magnitude earthquake struck southern Taiwan early on Saturday. Authorities in the affected city have formed an emergency response center.

LIVE UPDATES: Rescue teams respond to extensive damage after Taiwan quake

The Tainan City mayor has confirmed that at least two people are dead at the site of the collapsed 17-story building. In total at least four buildings have collapsed as a result of the earthquake.

“Four buildings have collapsed in Tainan City area. Search and rescue is underway and no casualties have been reported at this moment,” Lin Kuan-cheng, spokesman for the National Fire Agency, told AFP.

The 17-floor apartment building houses about 240 people and consists of at least 60 households, according to City Government Fire Bureau information officer Lee Po Min.

At least 123 people have been rescued from that residential tower, the local fire brigade told Reuters. Formosa TV said 37 people were rescued from another seven-story property.

Earthquake we just had in Taiwan is no joke. Hope all are safe in Tainan: https://t.co/TFE89Udjpe pic.twitter.com/dez5XZNhL4

— Holly (@taispy) February 5, 2016

The quake was initially reported as a magnitude 6.7.

UPDATE [05.02-21:56] #Pingtung #Taiwan FORTE #TERREMOTO (20:57) M 6.4 -17 km pic.twitter.com/yQjxeerYIM

— Emergenza24 (@Emergenza24) February 5, 2016

According to EpochTimes, China, seven people were slightly injured in a retail market in Tainan. Another person was slightly injured in the Quy Nhon district.

怪我人が出たらしい、どうかご無事を pic.twitter.com/MEKzIW9jaS

— つゆり (@yueri1008) February 5, 2016

The epicenter of the quake was located at a shallow depth of 6.2 miles (10 km), some 19 miles (31 km) east-southeast of Tainan, the USGS said.

https://twitter.com/hashtag/Taiwan?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

The quake has been described as “enormous” and “a big one” on social media.

Magnitude 6.7 #earthquake strikes 16mi (25km) S of Yujing, Taiwan, the USGS said. NO Tsunami threat. pic.twitter.com/0rKBUXZI1T

— AccuWeather.com (@breakingweather) February 5, 2016

The USGS has warned that a magnitude 6.4 earthquake is capable of causing “severe damage.” Taiwan’s Central Weather Bureau also measured a second quake of 4.3 magnitude in Tainan, Reuters reported.

An #Earthquake at Tainan, #Taiwan ,3:57(UTC+8). pic.twitter.com/OrRFvXFZIl

— sogetsu (@sogetsuchang) February 5, 2016

Local authorities in Tainan have said that they have formed an emergency response center following the quake.

Tainan #Taiwan earthquake damage. pic.twitter.com/CrW29ZAS3i

— Milwaukee Media (@MediaInMilwauke) February 5, 2016

リツイートの皆様、本当にありがとうございました。
最近台湾の南部に来る予定がある方々、気をつけてね pic.twitter.com/a8tOJtnCAd

— つゆり (@yueri1008) February 5, 2016

—
https://www.rt.com/news/331456-powerful-earthquake-strikes-taiwan/