The earthquake, registering 7.6 on the Richter scale, was the strongest recorded in Taiwan and more intense than the 7.4 quake that devastated Turkey in August. Experts said there were fewer casualties in Taiwan because of greater adherence to building codes. Survivors face a multitude of structural challenges, however. Electrical fires burned beneath hotel rubble, creating a dangerous oven for rescue workers and those trapped inside. Heat and high humidity reduce chances for longer-term survival of those who might be buried alive.
Major aftershocks create new fears and more damage and hamper rescuers tunneling beneath the rubble.
One measured 6.8 on the Richter scale, centered just east of Sun Moon Lake Reservoir, one of Taiwan's largest waterworks. Workers found large cracks in the lake's dam and began lowering the water level as a precaution against further ruptures. Homes downstream from the dam-reservoir complex, including two villages in already damaged Yunlin County, were evacuated. Mudslides along Tsaoling Mountain in Yunlin County, a popular tourist area, were also reported, but with no information about possible casualties. In Turkey, tension is mounting as relief efforts stall and frustration with government ineffectiveness spreads in cities suffering quake damage.