Taiwan quake

Woman rescued as Taiwan quake death toll reaches 35

Last updated: February 8, 2016

Tainan, Taiwan (BBN)-A woman has been pulled alive from the ruins of an apartment building two days after it collapsed in a powerful earthquake in Tainan City in Taiwan.
Local officials say the woman was found lying underneath the body of her husband. Their two-year-old son was found dead nearby, reports BBC.
At least 35 people died in the magnitude 6.4 quake, most were inside the Weiguan Jinlong building.
More than 100 people are still thought to be trapped inside.
The woman, Tsao Wei-ling, was rescued on Monday morning, local MP Wang Ting-yu was quoted as saying by Reuters news agency.
She was conscious and was taken to hospital. Further details were not given.
Another person, a man, has also been located, said Wang, and is talking to rescuers.
Officials said late on Sunday that 310 people had been rescued from the rubble of the building, with 100 of them taken to hospital.

A six-month-old baby girl pulled alive from the rubble died a few hours later in hospital.
The 17 storeys of the Weiguan Jinlong (Golden Dragon) apartment complex crumpled as the quake struck just before 04:00 local time on Saturday (20:00 GMT Friday), as Taiwan was beginning the lunar new year holiday
An investigation has been launched into whether the construction of the building contributed to its collapse.
Tainan City Mayor William Lai said survivors had reported legal "violations" in its construction but gave no further details.
Lai said he had contacted judicial units and that prosecutors had formally launched an investigation into the construction of the apartment building.
"We've also commissioned three independent bodies to preserve evidence during the rescue so we can assist the residents if they want to file lawsuits in the future," he said.
"We will hold the builder responsible if they have broken the law."
Hundreds of soldiers are involved in the rescue effort, with the help of high-tech equipment, sniffer dogs and cranes. Shelters are being set up for those who have lost their homes in the city of two million people.
President Ma Ying-jeou and President-elect Tsai Ing-wen, who won the election last month, are both due to visit the site of the disaster later on Monday.
Taiwan lies near the junction of two tectonic plates and often sees tremors.
The quake was shallow, meaning its effects would have been amplified, the US Geological Survey said.
There were also at least five aftershocks.
The quake was felt in the capital Taipei, 300km (186 miles) away.
BBN/SK/AD

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