TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Three foreign nationals are missing following the 7.2 magnitude earthquake that struck Hualien on Wednesday (April 3).
Taiwan’s foreign ministry said as of 4.30 p.m. on Thursday, two Australians and one Canadian were missing. More than 70 foreign citizens in Taiwan have been rescued from the affected area on Taiwan’s east coast.
Of the rescued, the foreign ministry said six are from the U.K., three from France, two each from Australia and Hungary, seven from the U.S., four each from Israel and the Netherlands, three from Canada, 25 from Germany, seven from Switzerland, and eight from Singapore.
On Thursday morning, 52 people were reported missing in total. Many are missing or trapped in Hualien’s mountainous Taroko National Park, where rockfall and landslides have destroyed roads, bridges, and tunnels.
On Thursday, a further seven people were rescued from Taroko Gorge, all of whom were Taiwanese on their way to work when the earthquake hit. Rescuers are using drones and traveling on foot to locate and rescue survivors.
Helicopters may be deployed in the coming days depending on weather conditions.
