The death toll from a 7.2-magnitude earthquake that struck off the east coast of Taiwan yesterday has risen to nine, as rescue work continue, the Taipei-based Central News Agency reported Thursday. The quake has also injured about 1,050, while 101 people remained trapped or stranded, with 46 losing contact, according to central and local government officials.

The epicenter of Wednesday’s temblor was located in the Pacific Ocean, 25 km south-southeast of Hualien County Hall, at a depth of 15.5 km. It was the strongest quake to hit Taiwan since 1999, when a magnitude 7.3 quake struck central Taiwan that left more than 2,400 people dead, the report said.

Source: Kuwait News Agency