A devastating earthquake of 7.4 magnitude on the Richter scale affected the
Taiwan
archipelago this Wednesday , killing at least seven people, injuring more than 700 and causing the collapse of buildings. It was a real tragedy. And little by little, videos are beginning to appear of
how the people themselves experienced it in the place
. Among them, two from the moment of the earthquake are circulating on
the TV channels that broadcast live
.
In one of them you can see how in the television studio of the news channel Set iNews
all the lights hanging from the ceiling begin to move
between 7:59 and 8:00, almost at the end of the greatest movement. An alert appears on the screen for the earthquake that was occurring at that moment and in the background the voice of the host of the program who tries to continue with the transmission, but somewhat altered.
In another of the videos, from the TVBS channel, you can see that it is 7:58 in the morning, the exact time at which the earthquake was recorded. There, the image of the driver is clearer and
she can be seen balancing while the building shakes
. Always, maintaining composure and explaining what is happening in the country at that moment.
The cameras also point to the light sources that move while the journalists continue working on the newsroom of the place, highlighting the serenity in the midst of the emergency.
The main earthquake
was recorded at 7:58 a.m. about 18 kilometers
(11 miles) south of the city of Hualien, with a depth of about 35 kilometers (21 miles). Taiwan's seismological agency reported a magnitude of 7.2, while the United States Geological Survey (USGS) initially placed it at 7.5 and later reduced it to 7.4.
The USGS said one of the aftershocks was magnitude 6.5 and at a depth of 11.8 kilometers (7 miles).
The report of the 7 fatalities and the 736 injuries was provided by the Taiwan Fire Department. According to local media, three of the victims were hikers who lost their lives after being hit by rocks that fell on the Dekalun trail, at the entrance to Taroko Gorge. The remaining one was a truck driver, who also suffered the same incident but near the Daqingshui tunnel on the Suhua Expressway.
One of the buildings in Hualien, about to fall due to the earthquake. Photo EFE.
They also reported that 77 people were trapped in different structures and 97 buildings that were damaged throughout the country. The images of giant structures about to fall are shocking.