Earthquake hits Taiwan

*The Deadman* · 03-04-2010, 02:03 PM

TAIPEI, Taiwan – A powerful 6.4-magnitude earthquake rocked southern Taiwan on Thursday, terrifying residents, disrupting communications and triggering at least one large fire. Sixty-four people were injured, the National Fire Agency said.

No tsunami alert was issued. The quake was centered in the same mountainous region of rural Kaohsiung county that endured the brunt of the damage from Typhoon Morakot, a devastating storm that killed about 700 people last August.

Taiwanese actor Chu Chung-heng said he and other passengers were close to panic when the high-speed train on which they were traveling was dislodged from its track by the quake.

"Many people in my car were screaming," he said. "I was so scared that I couldn't make a sound. The train shook very hard, and I thought it was going to overturn."

Rail service in southern and central Taiwan was suspended, as was the state-of-the-art subway system in Kaohsiung city, Taiwan's second largest with a population of 1.5 million. Kaohsiung is about 250 miles (400 kilometers) south of Taipei.

In nearby Tainan, a fire broke out in a textile factory shortly after the quake hit, sending huge plumes of black smoke billowing into the air. Power outages struck Taipei and at least one county to the south, and telephone service in many parts of Taiwan was spotty.

Kuo Kai-wen, director of the Central Weather Bureau's Seismology Center, said the quake was not geologically related to the massive temblor that hit Chile last Saturday, but its intensity was unusual for the area.

"This is the biggest quake to hit this region in more than a century," he said.

The quake's epicenter was near the town of Jiashian, especially hard hit by last year's typhoon. A Kaohsiung county official told CTI TV news that some temporary housing built for typhoon survivors collapsed.

The Ministry of Defense said troops were dispatched to Jiashian to report on the extent of the damage.

In nearby Liugui an unidentified high school student described the quake as terrifying. "Everyone was running out of the classroom, and some people fell in the rush," she told ETTV.

The fire agency said 64 people had been injured.

A spokesman for President Ma Ying-jeou said authorities had been instructed to follow the quake situation closely and take steps to mitigate damage and dislocation. Ma was widely criticized for his government's slow response to last year's typhoon.

The presidential office said he planned to visit Tainan on Thursday afternoon.

Earthquakes frequently rattle Taiwan but most are minor and cause little or no damage.

However, a 7.6-magnitude temblor in central Taiwan in 1999 killed more than 2,300 people. In 2006 a 6.7-magnitude quake south of Kaohsiung severed undersea cables and disrupted telephone and Internet service for millions throughout Asia.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/as_taiwan_earthquake

*Samhain* · 03-04-2010, 02:18 PM

Jeezus, the end is near.....

Spacebabie · 03-04-2010, 06:38 PM

Mother Nature has gone crazy.

**Machias Banshee** · 03-04-2010, 07:49 PM

Well, it's not the first, and it definitely won't be the last. The entire Pacific Plate seems to be moving...

I do hope everything turns out alright. We've had a hell of a time helping the Haitian people... The list just keeps growing..

*Katie* · 03-04-2010, 08:12 PM

....China is their neighbor. They'll help out more than we will likely.

the end is NEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEAR

nah, i don't believe that

~~Leo656~~ · 03-04-2010, 08:56 PM

This year's been screwy with the natural disasters... almost makes you think maybe something big and bad is really just around the corner...

Almost, but not quite. Stuff's bound to happen, just doesn't always happen at once like this. Which I'm sure is no consolation at all to the poor folks stuck there...

*Katie* · 03-04-2010, 08:59 PM

I'm waiting for the good old New Madrid Fault to wake up. A BIG earthquake there would kill Memphis and St. Louis and places like that. It's be one hell of a ride before my building crashed around me.

Think Haiti was bad.............

GreasyBoi · 03-04-2010, 09:03 PM

Man! First Haiti, then Chile, and now Taiwan?

*The Deadman* · 03-05-2010, 12:21 AM

im waiting for the big one to hit Cali, so San Fran can break off from the rest of the state like everyones predicting

03-04-2010, 02:03 PM	#1
The Deadman Foot Elite Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Maryland Posts: 4,170	Earthquake hits Taiwan TAIPEI, Taiwan – A powerful 6.4-magnitude earthquake rocked southern Taiwan on Thursday, terrifying residents, disrupting communications and triggering at least one large fire. Sixty-four people were injured, the National Fire Agency said. No tsunami alert was issued. The quake was centered in the same mountainous region of rural Kaohsiung county that endured the brunt of the damage from Typhoon Morakot, a devastating storm that killed about 700 people last August. Taiwanese actor Chu Chung-heng said he and other passengers were close to panic when the high-speed train on which they were traveling was dislodged from its track by the quake. "Many people in my car were screaming," he said. "I was so scared that I couldn't make a sound. The train shook very hard, and I thought it was going to overturn." Rail service in southern and central Taiwan was suspended, as was the state-of-the-art subway system in Kaohsiung city, Taiwan's second largest with a population of 1.5 million. Kaohsiung is about 250 miles (400 kilometers) south of Taipei. In nearby Tainan, a fire broke out in a textile factory shortly after the quake hit, sending huge plumes of black smoke billowing into the air. Power outages struck Taipei and at least one county to the south, and telephone service in many parts of Taiwan was spotty. Kuo Kai-wen, director of the Central Weather Bureau's Seismology Center, said the quake was not geologically related to the massive temblor that hit Chile last Saturday, but its intensity was unusual for the area. "This is the biggest quake to hit this region in more than a century," he said. The quake's epicenter was near the town of Jiashian, especially hard hit by last year's typhoon. A Kaohsiung county official told CTI TV news that some temporary housing built for typhoon survivors collapsed. The Ministry of Defense said troops were dispatched to Jiashian to report on the extent of the damage. In nearby Liugui an unidentified high school student described the quake as terrifying. "Everyone was running out of the classroom, and some people fell in the rush," she told ETTV. The fire agency said 64 people had been injured. A spokesman for President Ma Ying-jeou said authorities had been instructed to follow the quake situation closely and take steps to mitigate damage and dislocation. Ma was widely criticized for his government's slow response to last year's typhoon. The presidential office said he planned to visit Tainan on Thursday afternoon. Earthquakes frequently rattle Taiwan but most are minor and cause little or no damage. However, a 7.6-magnitude temblor in central Taiwan in 1999 killed more than 2,300 people. In 2006 a 6.7-magnitude quake south of Kaohsiung severed undersea cables and disrupted telephone and Internet service for millions throughout Asia. http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/as_taiwan_earthquake __________________ Letterboxd: https://letterboxd.com/Dead2009/ Backloggd: https://backloggd.com/u/Dead2009/ Dropkickd: https://www.dropkickd.com/user/Dead2009

03-04-2010, 06:38 PM	#3
Spacebabie Hench Mutant Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Conroe Texas Posts: 291	Mother Nature has gone crazy. __________________ http://spacebabie.deviantart.com/ http://www.fanfiction.net/~spacebabie http://spacebabie.livejournal.com/

03-04-2010, 08:12 PM	#5
Katie Just...way too serious. Join Date: May 2005 Location: purgatory Posts: 3,519	....China is their neighbor. They'll help out more than we will likely. the end is NEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEAR nah, i don't believe that __________________ THE WORLD IS JUST AWESOME

03-04-2010, 08:59 PM	#7
Katie Just...way too serious. Join Date: May 2005 Location: purgatory Posts: 3,519	I'm waiting for the good old New Madrid Fault to wake up. A BIG earthquake there would kill Memphis and St. Louis and places like that. It's be one hell of a ride before my building crashed around me. Think Haiti was bad............. __________________ THE WORLD IS JUST AWESOME

03-04-2010, 09:03 PM	#8
GreasyBoi Foot Soldier Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Indiana Posts: 238	Man! First Haiti, then Chile, and now Taiwan? __________________ Prayers for Paul George

03-04-2010, 02:18 PM	#2
Samhain Dare To Be Stupid! Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: 1313 Mockingbird Lane Posts: 4,752	Jeezus, the end is near.....

03-04-2010, 07:49 PM	#4
Machias Banshee Super Moderator Join Date: Dec 2001 Posts: 17,163	Well, it's not the first, and it definitely won't be the last. The entire Pacific Plate seems to be moving... I do hope everything turns out alright. We've had a hell of a time helping the Haitian people... The list just keeps growing..

03-04-2010, 08:56 PM	#6
~~Leo656~~ Banned Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: nWo Country Posts: 27,703	This year's been screwy with the natural disasters... almost makes you think maybe something big and bad is really just around the corner... Almost, but not quite. Stuff's bound to happen, just doesn't always happen at once like this. Which I'm sure is no consolation at all to the poor folks stuck there...

03-05-2010, 12:21 AM	#9
The Deadman Foot Elite Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Maryland Posts: 4,170	im waiting for the big one to hit Cali, so San Fran can break off from the rest of the state like everyones predicting __________________ Letterboxd: https://letterboxd.com/Dead2009/ Backloggd: https://backloggd.com/u/Dead2009/ Dropkickd: https://www.dropkickd.com/user/Dead2009

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