Taiwan earthquake: ‘The walls were crumbling’

On Tuesday, Chang Hsin had just awakened in the Chinese city of Hualien when her complete block started to shake.

” The rooms were crumbling. Immediately after, another aftershock hit, causing the entire home to tilt”, the 59- yr- older told the BBC.

Ms. Chang was in her third-floor house when the 7.4 magnitude quake struck, making it Taiwan’s worst disaster in 25 decades, killing nine people and injuring more than 1, 000 people.

The Uranus Building flat wall, which belongs to Ms. Chang, has received widespread attention. Save workers are attempting to stabilize the 10-story architecture while the building is tilted over to stop it from falling over.

Ms. Chang screamed for assistance after the quivering was over, and she later discovered a fire engine inside.

” I urged them to go. I kept yelling’ fast, immediately or the next tremor is coming,'” she recalls.

” The home started to bend while I was still inside”, he says. ” My legs were shaking, and I could n’t stand steady. I still ca n’t calm down, especially with the aftershocks last night”.

One adult educator, according to local reports, returned to the tower to save her cat, and died.

Ms. Chang was speaking to the BBC from a house for earthquake-torn persons. Sitting subsequent to her was Wei Pang- Huan, 60, who lived on the second floors of the Uranus Building.

The block is due to be demolished on Friday, and Ms Wei was n’t sure if she would be able to collect any of her belongings.

” All my items are in the tower. I wonder if I may go inside to get some essential things, but it depends on the evacuation team’s guidelines”, she says.

More than 600 people have been stranded in Taiwan as a result of the earthquake that hit the southeast region of Hualien.

Some stuck in caves and near a national area have been rescued by aircraft, but 34 are also missing.

One Malaysian woman who was stranded in the hills for a moment and a half said, “it’s your worst dream coming true.

” It’s like they show in the movies. You always believe you’ll go through something similar, she tells the BBC.

” We really held on to each other while we felt the world shiver.” He was struck by some stones, and we simply stayed together, she adds,” for I do n’t know how long until it passed.”

With stones falling every few minutes and waves and tremors, it was a horrible, horrible experience.

She finally made it to a hotel where she was treated for primary support.

The earthquake, which struck 18km ( 11mi ) south of Hualien, was followed by more than 200 aftershocks, dozens of which were at least 6.5 magnitude or more, hindering search and rescue efforts. Officials in Taiwan anticipate more waves in the coming days.

Lai Su has lived at the bottom of a monument valley, only outside Hualien, for 35 years. She says Tuesday’s disaster was like nothing she has previously experienced.

She tells the BBC,” At the time, I was driving my car in Hualien and the vehicle started moving like it was dancing.”

When there is a quake at night and we are sleeping, we ca n’t seem to get out of bed, but this time I would have stomped out and run.

For Ms Chang, her quick coming in Hualien area is looking questionable.

I can only stay in the shelter right now because I do n’t have a place to stay. I’ll leave for work during the day and then returning to my house at night.

Huiyee Chiew, Tzu Wei Liu, and Joy Chang Yu-Tzu provided more investigating.