07 February,2018 09:37 AM IST | Taipei | IANS
A damaged vehicle stands in rubble outside the Marshal Hotel in Hualien, eastern Taiwan early February 7, 2018, after a strong earthquake struck the island. A hotel on the east coast of Taiwan has collapsed after a 6.4-magnitude earthquake, the government said. Pic/AFP
Two people were killed and 219 others injured on Wednesday after a 6.5-magnitude earthquake hit Taiwan. According to the China Earthquake Networks Centre (CENC), the earthquake jolted waters near Hualien county, reports Xinhua news agency. The epicentre was monitored at 24.13 degrees north latitude and 121.71 degrees east longitude, with a depth of 11 km, said CENC. The victims were a 66-year-old male and a 60-year-old female.
There are 173 people still unaccounted for. They might be trapped in the damaged buildings, according to the fire department. A total of 235 people have been rescued. Two shelters have been set up. The earthquake was felt across Taiwan, with some buildings, roads and bridges in Hualien damaged. The earthquake also caused power outage in 200 households and 35,000 residences were left without water supply, the department said.
The quake caused the Marshal Hotel in Hualien to cave in, with its first two floors collapsed. The highway from Suao to Hualien was temporarily closed. The earthquake was followed by a series of aftershocks including several measured over 5-magnitude. Since Sunday, more than 100 sensible earthquakes have jolted the area. Taiwan's earthquake experts said more quakes might occur in the coming weeks.
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