Six miners were rescued Thursday morning after being stranded as a result of Taiwan's most powerful earthquake in a quarter century, while 64 of their coworkers still await assistance.
After nearly 24 hours, the miners, who had been working in a quarry in eastern Taiwan's Hualien County, were rescued three at a time via helicopter, local media reported.
Hualien was the epicenter of the 7.2 magnitude quake that struck just before 8 a.m. on Wednesday, killing nine people and injuring at least 1,050.
The quake left dozens trapped in buildings that partially collapsed in Hualien City, while the resulting landslides left scores more stuck in highway tunnels and in various parts of mountainous tourist spot Taroko National Park.
More than 100 people remain trapped, according to Taiwan's National Fire Agency, including the 64 workers in Heping Mine and another seven in the Zhonghe Mine Heren Mining area.
Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen and Premier Chen Chien-jen visited the national disaster response center Wednesday, where they were briefed on ongoing rescue efforts. Tsai instructed central government ministries to cooperate with local governments and provide necessary assistance, per a press release from the presidential office.
Newsweek reached out to Taiwan's National Fire Agency via phone call and written request for comment.
After the six miners were brought to safety early on Thursday, authorities said helicopters would later airdrop supplies at the Heren Mine.
Three of those who lost their lives were killed by falling boulders while hiking in Taroko National Park, local media reported. Road crews discovered another body inside a jeep that had been crushed by a falling boulder.
One of the deceased was a 33-year-old teacher, who had escaped from an eight-story building in Hualien City during the initial shock.
Neighbors said she told them she was returning to rescue her cat, according to the county's fire department. She was trapped in the stairwell between the first and second floors when the structure collapsed. Firefighters recovered her body about 12 hours later.
Thursday's earthquake was the most powerful on the island since the "921 quake" on September 21, 1999, a 7.6 magnitude tectonic event that resulted in 2,415 deaths, more than 11,300 injured, and damaged or destroyed tens of thousands of buildings.
Dozens of smaller aftershocks continued to ripple through the island in the wake of the quake. Aftershocks happen with less frequency over time but can occur days or even months after the initial event.
"The hazard is not over in Taiwan," U.S. Geological Survey geologist Kate Allstadt said Wednesday. "Rain is forecasted for Friday, which along with ongoing aftershocks, could trigger additional landslides along the already weakened slopes."
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Micah McCartney is a reporter for Newsweek based in Taipei, Taiwan. He covers U.S.-China relations, East Asian and Southeast Asian ... Read more
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