Taiwan turned into hell on earth Wednesday morning as a massive earthquake rocked the island off China, killing at least 9 people and injuring over 900 more, while leaving dozens trapped.
Local Taiwanese officials said the tremors registered 7.4 on the Richter scale, making it the most powerful quake to hit the island in 25 years with its nearly 24 million residents. The shocks were also felt in the capital of Taipei.
But Hualien County – located on the island’s east coast — appeared to be hardest hit by the quake, decimating the infrastructure.
Photos showed main roads and tunnels reduced to rubble. Numerous people were reportedly trapped inside one of the underpasses. Other footage captured a dense cloud of smoke rising over Hualien as well as commuters stopped on a bridge that was swaying.
CNN reported three of the dead were hikers struck by falling rocks in a tourist area called Taroko Gorge. Tumbling boulders also killed a truck driver traveling on a highway in a mountainous region.
Thousands of homes and buildings in Hualien were left badly damaged and without power, according to CNN. Major highways were also shut down as a result of landslides.
Taiwanese authorities have launched a major emergency and rescue operation to save the scores of people trapped and provide medical care to the 900-plus injured.
And that’s just for starters. Unfortunately, from the looks of all the devastation, first responders are going to have much more to deal with. Stay tuned for updates.