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Strongest Earthquake In 25 Years Rocks Taiwan, Killing 9 People And Stranding 70 Workers In Quarries
Hualien, Taiwan — The largest earthquake in a quarter-century shook Taiwan during the morning rush hour Wednesday, killing nine people, stranding scores of workers at quarries, and sending other inhabitants fleeing through damaged buildings’ windows.
The quake, which injured over 1,000 people, struck off the shore of rural, mountainous Hualien County. Several buildings tilted at sharp angles, and their ground floors were crushed. As tremors shook the island nation, tiles fell from older buildings in Taipei, just over 150 kilometers (93 miles) away. Schools also evacuated pupils to sports areas.
Strongest Earthquake In 25 Years Rocks Taiwan, Killing 9 People And Stranding 70 Workers In Quarries
Rescuers fanned out in Hualien, searching for trapped persons and using excavators to stabilize damaged houses. The number of missing, trapped, or stranded individuals changed as officials discovered additional people in distress and sought to find or free them.
According to Taiwan’s National Fire Service, the 70 workers stranded at two rock quarries are safe, but falling rocks have damaged the roads leading to them. Six workers were scheduled to be flown on Thursday.
In the early hours after the earthquake, neighbors and rescue workers were seen on TV carrying residents, including toddlers, out windows and onto the street after doors fused shut during the shaking.
Earthquakes frequently shake Taiwan, and its people are among the most prepared for them. However, authorities did not issue any alerts since they expected a small earthquake. The eventual quake was powerful enough to startle even those accustomed to shaking.
“I’ve become accustomed to earthquakes. But it was the first time an earthquake shocked me to tears,” said Hsien-Hsien Keng, a Taipei resident who lives on the fifth floor of an apartment building. “The earthquake woke me up. I’d never experienced such extreme shaking before.
According to the fire department, the earthquake occurred just before 8 a.m. and killed at least nine individuals. According to the local United Daily News, three hikers were murdered in rockslides in Taroko National Park in Hualien, while a van driver died when debris collided with his vehicle.
A tsunami warning was issued but later withdrawn.
At least 1,011 persons have been reported injured. After the quake knocked down phone networks, authorities lost communication with 50 hotel personnel in minibusses in the national park; three hiked to the hotel, while the others remained stuck.
Strongest Earthquake In 25 Years Rocks Taiwan, Killing 9 People And Stranding 70 Workers In Quarries
The earthquake and its aftershocks triggered 24 landslides and damaged roads, bridges, and tunnels. The national assembly, a converted school erected before World War II, and sections of Taoyuan’s main airport, located south of Taipei, all suffered moderate damage.
Hualien Mayor Hsu Chen-wei reported that 48 residential buildings were destroyed in the city, which shares its name with the county. Hsu stated that water and electrical supplies were being restored.
According to Taiwan’s earthquake monitoring service, the quake was 7.2, but the US Geological Survey rated it 7.4. It struck roughly 18 kilometers (11 miles) off Hualien, Taiwan’s east coast, and was about 35 kilometers (21 miles) deep. Several aftershocks followed.
Following the earthquake, traffic along the east coast stopped as landslides and falling debris struck tunnels and roadways. Train service was suspended across the 23 million-person island, with some tracks twisted by the quake’s force. Subway service was suspended in Taipei, where sections of a freshly completed elevated line ripped apart but did not collapse.
The initial alarm following the earthquake dissipated swiftly on the island, which prepares for such catastrophes with exercises in schools and notifications distributed through public media and mobile phones. According to Stephen Gao, a seismologist and professor at Missouri University of Science and Technology, Taiwan’s earthquake preparation is among the best in the world, with tight building rules and a world-class seismological network.
By lunchtime, the metro station in Beitou, a busy northern Taipei neighborhood, was back in full swing. People were commuting to work, and others were arriving to explore the hot springs or hike the mountain pathways at the base of an extinct volcano.
Chinese media said the earthquake was felt in Shanghai and other provinces along China’s southeastern coast. China and Taiwan are approximately 160 kilometers (100 miles) apart.
The Japan Meteorological Agency said that a 30-centimeter (approximately 1-foot) tsunami was observed on the coast of Yonaguni island around 15 minutes after the earthquake occurred. Smaller waves were also observed on Ishigaki and Miyako islands. By Wednesday afternoon, all regionwide advisories had been withdrawn.
Taiwan is located along the Pacific “Ring of Fire,” a line of seismic faults that encircles the Pacific Ocean and is the source of most of the world’s earthquakes.
Strongest Earthquake In 25 Years Rocks Taiwan, Killing 9 People And Stranding 70 Workers In Quarries
In 2018, a severe earthquake that struck Hualien left 17 people dead and destroyed a historic hotel. Taiwan’s greatest earthquake in recent years happened on September 21, 1999, with a magnitude of 7.7, killing 2,400 people, wounding around 100,000, and demolishing thousands of buildings.
The economic impact of the earthquake has yet to be calculated. Taiwan is the world’s top manufacturer of sophisticated computer chips and other high-tech things extremely sensitive to seismic activity. Parts of the energy grid were shut down, potentially disrupting the supply chain and resulting in financial losses.
Taiwanese chipmaker TSMC, which provides semiconductors to businesses like Apple, said it had evacuated workers from some of its factories in Hsinchu, southwest of Taipei. Hsinchu officials stated that water and electricity supplies to all enterprises in the city’s research park were regular.
The Taiwan Stock Exchange started as usual on Wednesday, with the index fluctuating between losses and gains.
SOURCE – (AP)
The new head of the Army has stated that Britain must be prepared to fight a war within three years.
Gen Sir Roland Walker has issued a warning about a variety of risks in what he calls a “increasingly volatile” environment.
However, he stated that war was not inevitable and that the Army had “just enough time” to prepare to prevent conflict.
He stated that the Army’s fighting capacity would be doubled by 2027 and tripled by the end of the decade.
Gen Walker warned that the Britain was under threat from a “axis of upheaval” in his first speech as Prime Minister on Tuesday.
Among the primary concerns confronting the Britain in the next years, as noted by the general in a briefing, is an enraged Russia, which may seek vengeance on the West for helping Ukraine, regardless of who wins the war.
He stated: “It doesn’t matter how it finishes. I believe Russia will emerge from it weaker objectively – or completely – but still very, very dangerous and seeking some form of retaliation for what we have done to assist Ukraine.”
Britain’s Government Defence Review and Military Challenges
He also warned that China was determined to retake Taiwan, and Iran was likely to seek nuclear weapons.
He stated that the threats they posed may become particularly acute in the next three years, and that these countries had formed a “mutual transactional relationship” since the war in Ukraine, sharing weaponry and technology.
However, he stated that the path to conflict was not “inexorable” if the UK re-established credible land troops to assist its deterrent strategy for avoiding war.
In his speech, he described his force of slightly over 70,000 regular troops as a “medium-sized army” and made no direct call for additional resources or men.
However, he pushed the British Army to adapt swiftly, focussing on technology such as artificial intelligence and weaponry rather than numbers.
His ultimate goal is for the Army to be capable of destroying an opponent three times its size.
This would entail firing quicker and farther, he said, aided by lessons learnt from the Ukraine war.
The general’s speech at the Royal United Services Institute land warfare conference comes only one week after the government began a “root and branch” defence review to “take a fresh look” at the challenges facing the armed services.
Defence Secretary John Healey launched the assessment, describing the existing status of the armed forces as “hollowed-out” and stating that “procurement waste and neglected morale cannot continue”.
According to the most recent Ministry of Defence (MoD) numbers from April 2024, the Britain’s regular Army forces total 75,325 troops (excluding Gurkhas and volunteers).
That figure has been declining in recent years, as recruiting has failed to match retention. The previous Conservative administration lowered the planned headcount from 82,000 to 72,500 by 2025.
Members of the NATO military alliance have agreed to spend at least 2% of GDP on defence by 2024, but several countries are unlikely to fulfil this goal.
The Britain presently spends 2.3% of its GDP on defence. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has previously stated that the defence review will include a “roadmap” for increasing this to 2.5%, however he has yet to provide a date for this promise.
Source: BBC
News
Katie Ledecky Hopes For Clean Races At Paris Olympics In The Aftermath Of The Chinese Doping Scandal
PARIS — Katie Ledecky is looking for clean Olympic races. On Wednesday, Hope had pretty much reached her limit.
The American swimmer hopes to add to her six gold medals as she competes in the 400, 800, and 1,500 meters at the Paris Games. Her program starts with the heavy 400 on Saturday, featuring Ariarne Titmus and Summer McIntosh.
Katie Ledecky | ESPN Image
Katie Ledecky Hopes For Clean Races At Paris Olympics In The Aftermath Of The Chinese Doping Scandal
The 27-year-old Katie is competing in her fourth Summer Olympics, but the first since a doping scandal involving almost two dozen Chinese swimmers who tested positive for a banned chemical before the Tokyo Games — yet were permitted to compete with no consequences. The controversy has raised serious worries regarding the effectiveness of anti-doping initiatives.
Katie Ledecky | Vogue Image
“I hope everyone here is going to be competing clean this week,” Ledecky claimed. “But what truly counts is, were they training cleanly? Hopefully this has been the case. Hopefully, there has been worldwide testing.”
The International Olympic Committee has expressed concern over the ongoing US investigation into possible doping by Chinese swimmers. While awarding the 2034 Winter Olympics to Salt Lake City on Wednesday, the IOC urged Utah officials to do whatever they could to stop the FBI investigation.
“I think everyone’s heard what the athletes think,” Katie added. “They seek transparency. They want more answers to the remaining questions. At this point, we are here to race. We are going to race whoever is in the lane next to us.
“We are not paid to conduct the tests, so we trust those who follow their regulations. That applies both today and in the future.
Katie Ledecky | ESPN Image
Katie Ledecky Hopes For Clean Races At Paris Olympics In The Aftermath Of The Chinese Doping Scandal
SOURCE | AP
As the summer holidays begin, London may experience an official heatwave with temperatures reaching up to 29 degrees Celsius.
The Met Office predicts a long period of sunny and dry weather for London after a soggy spring and summer.
After a cloudy day on Saturday, temperatures are expected to reach 27C on Sunday, with lots of sunlight.
On Monday and Tuesday, temperatures are forecast to peak at 29 degrees Celsius. Monday is forecast to offer more sunlight, while Tuesday may see some gloomy weather.
Temperatures are expected to remain in the high 20s next week, with lows of approximately 18C.
According to the Met Office, a heatwave is “an extended period of hot weather relative to the expected conditions of the area at that time of year, which may be accompanied by high humidity.”
In the United Kingdom, a heatwave is proclaimed when daily temperatures meet or surpass a certain level for at least three consecutive days.
In London, the heatwave threshold is 28 degrees Celsius.
The Met Office reported that the UK is experiencing hotter and wetter weather on average due to climate change.
The UK experienced its warmest May and April on record this year, despite damp and dismal conditions in many areas.
According to the Met Office’s State Of The UK Climate 2023 report published on Thursday, the UK experienced historic levels of extreme weather last year.
In the United Kingdom, 2023 was the second warmest year on record, bringing storms, flooding, strong heatwaves, and rising sea levels; only 2022 was warmer.
It was 0.8°C higher than the average from 1991 to 2020, and 1.66°C higher than the 1961 to 1990 average.
However, 2023 will be a “cool year” in comparison to 2100, based on the planet’s warming trajectory.
The government’s plan to adapt to the hazards presented by climate change is currently being challenged in the High Court by campaigners who allege the Tory administration’s July 2023 National Adaptation Programme (NAP) fails to adequately address 61 concerns.
Source: The Standard
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