Two people were killed and 219 were injured by 7:30 a.m. Wednesday after a 6.5-magnitude earthquake hit Taiwan, Xinhua reports.
According to the China Earthquake Networks Center (CENC), the earthquake jolted waters near Taiwan's Hualien County at 11:50 p.m. Tuesday.
The epicenter was monitored at 24.13 degrees north latitude and 121.71 degrees east longitude, with a depth of 11 kilometers, said CENC.
The victims include a 66-year-old male and a 60-year-old female.
There are still 173 people missing, who might be trapped in the damaged buildings, according to resuers from the fire department.
A total of 235 people have been rescued. Two shelters have been set up, the local fire department said.
The injured people have been sent to hospitals.
03:04 (GMT+4) The number of people affected by the earthquake in Hualien in Taiwan increased to 202 people, according to the Central Information Agency of Taiwan (CNA).
Earlier it was reported that as a result of the earthquake, two people were killed, 188 injured. Information about the injured foreigners is not available yet.
Underground shocks caused serious damage, at least five buildings were partially or completely destroyed in Hualien City, including an 11-story hotel, as well as a military hospital. According to the latest information, the hotel, where the first three floors of the building collapsed, numerous guests were blocked, 116 of which had already been evacuated.
As a result of emergency, there were interruptions in the transport system, as well as in the power supply system, more than 700 houses were de-energized. According to media reports, the bridge in Hualien City is also damaged.
The search and rescue operation continues, including military personnel.
An earthquake of magnitude 6.5 was recorded on February 6 at 23.50 local time (18.50 Moscow time) off the coast of Hualien County in the north-east of the island. The hearth of the earthquake lay at a depth of 11 kilometers.
After that, the Chinese seismological center registered at least four more aftershocks with a magnitude of more than 4.5, as well as two aftershocks with a magnitude of 5.2.
01:07 (GMT+4) The number of injured in a powerful earthquake in eastern Taiwan on Tuesday has increased from 114 to 188 people, China's CGTN television reported, Sputnik International reports.
The US Geological Survey earlier reported that a 6.4-magnitude earthquake occurred about 22 kilometers (14 miles) northeast of the city of Hualien at the depth of 11 kilometers at about 23:50 local time (15:50 GMT).
According to CGTN, underground shocks caused serious damages to infrastructure, with at least five buildings partially or completely destroyed in Hualien, including a hotel. The latest reports indicate that a large number of guests were trapped in the hotel building, some 116 guests have already been evacuated.
The tremors also caused disruptions in the transport and energy supply systems, with more than 560 houses left without electricity. The search and rescue operation, involving military personnel, firefighters, rescuers, doctors and specially trained police dogs, continues, the CGTN reported.
The earthquake is the second one in the area in several days, the previous 6.6-magnitude quake has struck the east coast just adozen miles (17km) off Hualien.
23:40 (GMT +4) At least two people were killed and more than 100 injured in an earthquake with a magnitude of 6.4 that hit the coastal Taiwanese city of Hualien late on Tuesday, the government said, Reuters reports.
“Two people were unfortunately killed, and 114 have suffered light or severe injuries,” Taiwan’s Premier William Lai told an emergency government meeting.