At least nine people were killed and 821 were injured. 127 people remain trapped or stranded and 28 buildings collapsed after a strong earthquake recorded this Wednesday in Taiwan, which has already left more than a hundred tremors of varying strength, officials said.

According to preliminary data, Seven victims died in a tunnel in a tourist area known as the Decalun Train. mining area in Hualien County.

The earthquake, which had a magnitude of 7.2, according to the Central Weather Agency (CWA) Taiwan and 7.4, according to the US Geological Survey, occurred at 7:58 am on Wednesday (2358 GMT Tuesday) in the sea, namely 25 kilometers southeast of eastern Hualien County.

This area was hit hardest by the earthquake. both in loss of life and property, as numerous buildings and infrastructure were damaged and at least two residential buildings were partially destroyed.

In the Chongdae Tunnel in Taroko National Park. a group of people are trapped, as well as dozens of others. Also in the Jinwen Tunnel, on the highway connecting the cities of Suao and Hualien.

Until 16:30, 123 aftershocks of varying intensity were recorded on the island. Among them, nine were between magnitude 5 and 6, according to the CWA.

Likewise, according to state-owned electricity company Taipower, In total, 371,275 houses were left without electricity after the earthquake.although about 99% have already had power restored.

The Taiwan Meteorological Center, which issued a tsunami warning, considered that the risk no longer existed and removed it.

Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen calls on people to remain calm and be extremely careful, as it is likely that new shocks ranging from 6.5 to 7 degrees earthquakes in the coming days.

It’s an earthquake the worst thing Taiwan has experienced since September 21, 1999, when a magnitude 7.6 earthquake killed 2,416 people.

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Taiwan will settle the confluence of the Philippine and Eurasian plates. Therefore, earthquakes are frequent on the island.

Earthquake This could also be felt in the Japanese islands of Okinawa. magnitude 4 on the Richter scale, which initially led Japanese authorities to issue a tsunami warning that was later withdrawn, according to the Kyodo news agency. For its part, the Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) also warned of a possible tsunami.

(according to information from EFE and Europe Press)