Taiwanese authorities executed an airlift operation to deliver 928 pounds of food to individuals trapped at a quarry.
Following a 7.2-magnitude earthquake in Hualien county, 64 people were reported stuck at Heping Mine. The quake resulted in nine deaths and 193 injuries in Hualien.
Rescue teams airlifted provisions to the affected mining area and deployed drones for surveillance.
The cause of the trapping remains unclear, and it's uncertain if the mine is underground.
Additionally, six individuals were initially trapped at an open-air quarry called Zhonghe but were rescued by helicopter.
A later update confirmed the rescue of all 64 individuals at Heping, with no further reported mine entrapments.
However, over 600 individuals were stranded at a Tianxiang hotel in Taroko Gorge. The quake also injured more than 300 people in various areas of Taiwan.
Despite 24 tourists being trapped in a cave, they were found to be safe. Forty-two individuals were still missing, primarily employees of a local hotel traveling to Taroko National Park.
The earthquake caused extensive damage, including collapsed or severely damaged buildings. Landslides and falling rocks also led to fatalities.
Rescue efforts included evacuations by helicopter, such as Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing's supply lines. TSMC later reported that over 70% of its tools had been recovered.
Following the initial quake, there were 315 recorded aftershocks, though their severity decreased over time. Taiwanese authorities measured the quake at 7.2 on the Richter scale, while US estimates rated it at 7.4. Updates on casualty figures were provided by Taiwanese authorities on April 4, 2023.