Tourists trapped in Taiwanese hotel after severe earthquake

Tourists trapped in Taiwanese hotel after severe earthquake

A major earthquake registering at 6.4 on the Richter scale has caused a hotel to tip backwards, trapping dozens.

Two hotel employees have already passed away, while 144 people are reported to have been injured.

The hotel is located on the east coast of Taiwan, in the popular Hualien district.

“Two people were unfortunately killed, and 114 have suffered light or severe injuries,” Taiwan’s Premier William Lai told an emergency government meeting.

buildingangle-960x576

The Marshal Hotel, which has more than 200 roooms, has fallen into itself, with photos showing the building to have completely caved.

According to different news reports, 30 people remain trapped inside the hotel.

The president of Taiwan, Tsai Ing-wen has said fire fighters and rescuers from all over the country were arriving in the city to help.

In a statement on Facebook, Ing-wen said: “We will get into disaster relief work at the fastest speed.”

The earthquake struck Hualien at 11.50pm on Tuesday night (local time), with the epicentre roughly 21 kms outside of Hualien.

TAIWAN-EARTHQUAKE

The port city is hugely popular with tourists thanks to its close proximity to the Taroko Gorge and east coast rail line.

According to ABC News, a volunteer Yang Hsi Hua said: “This is the worst earthquake in the history of Hualien, or at least over the past 40 years that I’ve been alive.”

“We’ve never had anything like this, we’ve never had a building topple over.

“Also, it was constantly shaking, so everyone was really scared, we ran to empty open spaces to avoid it.”

At present, 64 people are still missing.

 

Latest News

  • Destinations
  • News

APT Launches 2025 Asia Adventures

APT has launched its Asia Adventures for 2025, including new luxury holidays in India, Sri Lanka and Japan. Five new tours lead guests to the highlights of India, including a seven-night cruise along the rarely travelled Lower Ganges aboard the Ganges Voyager. Further south, Sri Lanka’s greatest destinations are revealed on a new 15-day Land […]

  • Cruise
  • Luxury
  • News

Seabourn announces Western Kimberley Traditional Owners as Godparents of Seabourn Pursuit

Seabourn has named Western Kimberley Traditional Owners, the Wunambal Gaambera, as Godparents of the ultra-luxury purpose-built Seabourn Pursuit. It is the first cruise line to appoint Traditional Owners as godparents of a ship. Seabourn Pursuit embarks on its inaugural season in the Kimberley region this June. The naming ceremony will take place on Seabourn Pursuit’s […]

  • Luxury

Malolo Island Resort opens brand new Spa

Fiji’s Malolo Island has added another string to its bow – opening its $1.3 million day spa on Thursday, 18th April 2024. (Lead Image: matriarch Rosie Whitton with spa staff) Located at the edge of the resort’s luscious patch of tropical rainforest, the new “Leilani’s Spa” adds another level of elevated experiences to Malolo’s already […]