TAINAN, Taiwan (AP) – A powerful, shallow earthquake struck southern Taiwan before dawn Saturday, collapsing a high-rise residential complex and killing at least five people and injuring hundreds. At least 230 people were pulled out from rubble, as rescuers raced against time to find dozens of others unaccounted for.
More than 1,200 firefighters and soldiers in the worst-hit Tainan city scrambled with ladders, cranes and other equipment to the ruins of a 17-floor residential building that folded like an accordion in a pile of rubble and twisted metal. Local media said the building included a care center for newborns and mothers.
The central disaster response center said five people were killed, including four at the high-rise. One victim was a 10-day-old.
The fifth death was caused by falling objects at a water tower. Another 378 people were injured, the disaster response center said.
The Wei Guan residential tower was home to 256 people living in 96 units. According to the disaster response center, 230 of them were rescued and 26 unaccounted for, although it was unclear how many people were inside the building at the time of the fall.