Aftershocks Hit Taiwan, Death Toll Rises to Five

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Monday, April 01, 2002

Aftershocks Hit Taiwan, Death Toll Rises to Five

The death toll in Sunday's quake in Taiwan rose to five on Monday as a worker from a construction site of the Taipei Financial Center where three other men were killed, died in hospital overnight.

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The death toll in Sunday's quake in Taiwan rose to five on Monday as a worker from a construction site of the Taipei Financial Center where three other men were killed, died in hospital overnight.

Hundreds of aftershocks continued to hit Taiwan Monday, a day after a powerful earthquake measuring 6.8 on the Richter scale jolted the region.

Seismologists said that there had been more than 290 aftershocks, including two moderate quakes, measuring 4.8 and 4.5 on the Richter scale and centered out at sea. They warned there may be further tremors.

The other fatality was a taxi driver who was killed when cranes from the site crashed on top of his car.

Construction work on the proposed 101-story financial center, aimed to be the world's tallest building, has been suspended until further safety checks can be carried out.

About 200 other people were injured in the quake which centered near coastal city Hualien, 180 kilometers east of Taipei.

ARATS Sends Condolences

The Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits (ARATS) sent a message of condolences to the Taiwan-based Straits Exchanges Foundation Sunday, expressing sympathy to the victims of the earthquake.

The ARATS also expressed sincere hope that people in the earthquake-stricken region would quickly recover from the disaster.

In a related development, the Red Cross Society of China also expressed condolences through the Taiwan Red Cross (TRC) to the victims, and is staying in close touch with the TRC concerning relief measures.

Chronicle of Major Earthquakes Hitting Taiwan

Taiwan is located on a seismically active stretch of the Pacific basin and tremors occur frequently. The tremor rocking the island in September 21, 1999, is said to be the deadliest since a 7.4-magnitude quake hit it in 1935, killing 3,276 people.

The following are major earthquakes hitting the island provinceof Taiwan since 1997:

-- January 19, 1997: an earthquake measuring 5.2 magnitude on Richter Scale hit an area northeast of Ilan in Taiwan.

-- July 17, 1998: a strong earthquake measuring 6.3 on the Richter Scale hit the central part of Taiwan.

-- November 18, 1998: an earthquake measuring 5.5 on the Richter scale hit Taitung County of Taiwan province.

-- September 21, 1999: a strong earthquake measuring 7.6 on theRichter scale hit Taiwan, killing 2,400.

-- February 16, 2000: an earthquake measuring 5.6 on the Richter scale hit Chiayi County of Taiwan.

-- May 17, 2000: an earthquake measuring 6.1 on the Richter scale jolted Nantou in central Taiwan.

-- June 14, 2001: an earthquake measuring 6.4 on the Richter scale jolted the sea area to the east of Taiwan's Suao.

-- December 18, 2001: a strong earthquake registering 6.7 on the Richter scale jolted northern and eastern Taiwan.

-- March 31, 2002: an earthquake measuring 6.8 on the Richter scale rocked Taiwan.

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Death Toll Rises to Five in Taiwan Earthquake

ARATS Sends Condolences to Earthquake-Hit Taiwan

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