Belizeans Experience 7.4 Magnitude Earthquake in Taiwan

Taiwan was rattled by a seven-point four magnitude earthquake. This is the strongest tremor that has hit the island nation in more than twenty-five years. At least nine persons have been confirmed dead with hundreds more injured. Authorities have issued warnings of potential aftershocks in the coming days. Many Belizeans are in Taiwan and News Five’s Hipolito Novelo spoke to one of them.

 

Hipolito Novelo, Reporting

Belizean teacher living in Taiwan, Melody Wagner recounted  the moment she felt her building shaking. She was on the nineteenth floor when the island nation was hit by a seven point four magnitude earthquake at round eight a.m. local time on Wednesday.

 

Melody Wagner, Belizean Teacher Living in Taiwan

“Well, immediately, like I had to kind of regulate myself a bit because  your first. First I was, I thought I was just dizzy and I was like, oh wait, it’s an earthquake. So I just kind of sat down for a bit thinking like, you know, let’s just wait until it passes because I live on the 19th floor. So it’s not really smart to try to take the elevators down. So I just kind of sat on my bed was the most  safe location in my apartment. So I just sat there waiting for it to pass.” 

 

The earthquake rattled Taiwan’s east coast, claiming the lives of at least nine individuals. Rescuers are tirelessly working to free numerous others trapped under debris caused by landslides and collapsed structures. With over 900 reported injuries and more than 100 buildings damaged, authorities are grappling with the aftermath of one of Taiwan’s strongest earthquakes in 25 years.

 

Melody Wagner

“From my 19th floor apartment, most earthquakes that are above five would like really have an impact. Like I would feel like I’m swaying, like I’m in a hammock kind of feeling which is quite uncomfortable, but this one was a lot more intense because more things were shaking. Like, behind me I have like shells, but you can’t really see them, but. My shelves things that I have on my shelves, some of things fell down, some of the carvings and stuff that I have up in my apartment fell down. So that made me realize, you know, this might be a bit intense. I just kept hearing like rattling and I have a mirror on my cupboard and that kept like rocking vigorously back and forth. So, it kind of made me realize maybe this is a serious one. Also the duration of it, it was a lot longer than the usual earthquakes that happened. I’ve experienced since living here.”

 

Wagner is one of many Belizeans living in Taiwan. She says that she got in contact with those she knows to ensure that they are safe. There have been 29 aftershocks since the quake. Forecasts suggest that tremors as powerful as magnitude 7 could occur in the coming days. The earthquake resulted in power cuts affecting more than 91,000 households.  Despite this experience, Wagner says she has not reevaluated her stay in Taiwan.

 

Melody Wagner

“I’ve reached out to the to the people that I am close to and most of them have expressed that they’re okay. We see, um, I think Hualien is one of the greatest  locations that’s been impacted. I’ve reached out to the Belizeans that I know there and most of them are, well, the ones that replied to me that I interact with have  said they’re fine and everything is okay, but they post on their stories saying, you know, they’re nearby where some of the buildings collapse and stuff like that.”

 

Hipolito Novelo

Has this experience made you reevaluate whether you want to continue living there?

 

Melody Wagner

“I think short answer, no, because I feel like anywhere in the world that you choose to live, there are natural disasters that you have to contend with. In Belize, we have hurricanes. Here is earthquake center Earthquakes and typhoons. And you just have to learn how to coexist with these natural elements. So, I don’t think it should be a deterrent for anybody and for me personally, no.”

 

On X, Prime Minister John Briceño shared “Our thoughts are with the government, people and our friends of Taiwan”. The Belizean embassy in Taiwan saying that it responded immediately by liaising with Belizean students located in different regions in Taiwan, as well as universities where Belizean students are studying, to confirm that students are safe. The embassy said that while some Belizeans are understandably shaken emotionally, there has been no report of material effects on Belizeans.  Reporting for News Five, I am Hipolito Novelo.