Survivor tells of living through collapse of Taiwan building

While the rescue operation was under way Tuesday, the island was jolted by a 4.9-magnitude quake off the eastern city of Hualien but no damage or casualties were reported. “She is awake, but looks dehydrated, lost some temperature but she’s awake and her blood pressure is OK”, he said, adding, “I asked her if there’s anything wrong with her body”.

After making sure his wife wasn’t injured, he rushed out of his house to check on his brother’s apartment building.

“I’m losing hope and losing faith in the rescue. If there’s no miracle of them coming out alive, I only hope they had passed away quickly and hadn’t suffered long”.

“I beg you to save us”.

Distraught relatives waiting for news of loved ones repeatedly interrupted the mayor as he gave a briefing on the rescue, complaining that they had to wait for information from the media rather than being informed directly.

Deputy Tainan Mayor Tseng Shu-cheng told family members that 103 people were still missing in the rubble. So far they have been able to confirm signs of life on the top floor of the building, and will begin rescue work after the Vietnamese woman was saved.

Teams on Monday also rescued a 42-year-old man and an 8-year-old girl. Even though the 6.4-magnitude quake was shallow, few buildings were reported to have been damaged, which experts said was because Taiwan’s building standards are high.

Lawyers for all three have been notified that authorities plan to take their clients into custody, Xiao said.

“We will carry on until the last second”.

Taiwan’s government said in a statement 36 of the 38 dead were from the Wei-guan building, which was built in 1994.

Questions have been raised about tin cans which were spotted being used as filler in some of the concrete pillar, although some construction experts have said that may not have caused any structural problems.

U.S. State Department spokesman John Kirby told reporters Monday that the U.S. Agency for International Development will make a grant of $500,000 to the Taiwan Red Cross that will “provide immediate assistance to households affected by the quake”.

Emergency medical and military vehicles dot Yongda Road, where the Weiguan Golden Dragon building once stood, in parallel with bright paper lanterns meant to celebrate the usually joyous Chinese New Year holiday.