More pulled out alive from rubble

Tainan, February 7

Rescuers today pulled out more survivors from the remains of a high-rise residential building that collapsed in a powerful, shallow earthquake in southern Taiwan, which killed at least 26 people, as families anxiously waited on site.

The emergency centre in Tainan, the worst-hit city, said 171 people had been rescued from the building following the 6.4 magnitude quake that struck at dawn yesterday.

Tainan Mayor Lai Ching-te said 124 people were still trapped, many at the bottom of the wreckage.

“They have been able to rescue many people by using information from residents who got out on the possible locations of those still inside,” Lai said.

Eighth-floor resident Huang Guang-wei was pulled out today morning from a different section from where he lived, showing how distorted the building is, Lai said. Rescuers could see Huang only through a 10-centimetre (4-inch) crack and it took eight hours to get him out, Lai said.

Also rescued from the rubble was Chiu Guo-hsiung, 32, who was able to tell rescuers his name and other information. A woman and a 6-month-old girl were pulled out and rushed to a hospital.

The city government said 22 of the 26 confirmed deaths were from the building collapse. They said 171 had been rescued from the building, 90 of whom were sent to a hospital. More than 100 people were rescued from other parts of the city, eight of whom received hospital treatment. — AP