Taiwan earthquake: Rescuers race to save dozens trapped in tunnels with nine confirmed dead – Latest

A Taipei resident said she was sleeping in her fifth-floor apartment when she was awakened by the violent shaking caused by the earthquake.

“Earthquakes are common, and I've gotten used to them. But today was the first time I was afraid to cry because of an earthquake,” Hsin Hswen Keng said.

“The earthquake woke me up. I've never felt such intense shaking before,” she said.

She said she witnessed such a strong earthquake for the first time in her life, “except for earthquake drills in elementary school.”

Lin Jong, 36, who runs a sports shoe store in Hualien, recounted that he was at home, preparing to take his 16-month-old child to a medical appointment when the quake struck.

At first, he experienced what seemed like minor tremors, and described how the seismic activity quickly escalated into intense shaking.

The glass cover of the ceiling lamp fell and broke, prompting him to prioritize protecting his child from harm amidst the chaos.

“All I can do is protect my child.”

On Wednesday, Taiwan detected 30 Chinese aircraft and nine ships around the island when it was struck by the strongest earthquake in more than two decades.

Taiwan's Defense Ministry said at least 20 aircraft entered Taiwan's northern, central and southwestern air defense identification zone.

“The Republic of China Armed Forces monitored the situation and used CAP aircraft, Navy ships and coastal missile systems in response to the detected activities,” it said.

China's Taiwan Affairs Office said it was deeply concerned about the earthquake that struck the island and was ready to provide disaster relief aid, Chinese state media reported on Wednesday.

“Relevant parties on the mainland are deeply concerned and express their sincere condolences to their compatriots in Taiwan affected by the disaster,” said Chinese Taiwan Affairs Office spokesman Zhu Fenglian.

However, offers of assistance are unlikely to be accepted, given the tense relations between the island and the mainland.

China and Taiwan remain locked in a long-running territorial dispute with Beijing claiming the island as its own despite not controlling the self-governing democratic island.

Wu Xinfu, head of Taiwan's Earthquake Monitoring Bureau, said the effects of the quake were felt on mainland China and as far away as Taiwan-controlled islands off the coast of China.

More than 50 people are still missing in Taiwan, a day after the island was hit by a powerful 7.24-magnitude earthquake.

The Taiwan Fire Department said that the number of injured reached 1,038, bringing the total number of missing to 52.

About a dozen hotel workers on their way to a resort in Taroko National Park have been located, and 38 of them are still missing.

The fire department said rescue work focused on people trapped on the Trans-Island Highway, which passes through the strait that connects the city of Hualien to the western coast of Taiwan, and is a popular tourist destination.

Authorities are using drones and helicopters to search for people in the valley and will drop supplies to them when they are found.

Experts say that the intensity of the earthquake, which reached a magnitude of 7.2, and its impact on Taiwan since the New Year's earthquake in Japan.

“This 7.4-magnitude earthquake on the central east coast of Taiwan is the largest earthquake to occur since the New Year’s Day earthquake on the Noto Peninsula in Japan,” said Adam Pascal, chief scientist at the Center for Earthquake Research.

Professor Megan S. Miller from the Australian National University explained that the reason for the high strength is Taiwan's unique location.

“The M7.4 earthquake that occurred 35 km below the east coast of Taiwan was the result of convergence between the Philippine Sea plate and the Eurasian plate. This complex tectonic situation has produced many other large (M7+) earthquakes historically,” Dr. He said.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has sent his condolences to Taiwan following Wednesday's devastating earthquake.

Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen later responded to Modi and thanked him for his “solidarity.”

Rescue efforts are focused on Hualien City, where most of the casualties and damage were reported.