Canadian English teacher Jonathan McGill said the shaking from Taiwan香蕉视频直播檚 largest earthquake in 25 years was so forceful that he thought his apartment building might collapse.
McGill, a former Ottawa resident who has been living in Hsinchu, Taiwan, for the last seven years, described the quake Wednesday as something he has never felt before, with his ceiling fan swaying about 30 centimetres off its axis.
香蕉视频直播淭oday was the first time I ever thought to myself, what is the breaking point basically of a building?香蕉视频直播� he said. 香蕉视频直播淏ecause it香蕉视频直播檚 not supposed to really do that.
香蕉视频直播淥bviously, they香蕉视频直播檙e built to withstand some kind of shaking. But it was going pretty bad side-to-side, and it makes you really start to wonder, is it going to get to the point where it香蕉视频直播檒l fall down?香蕉视频直播�
Taiwan香蕉视频直播檚 Central Emergency Operations Centre said the earthquake was centred off Hualien County, about 150 kilometres south of Taipei, and reached a magnitude of 7.2, leaving at least nine dead, 946 injured and 152 stranded in its aftermath.
Local firefighters said on a Facebook post that two Canadians were among a group of 12 people stranded by rock slides on a trail in Taroko National Park, a renowned hiking destination, and rescue efforts were ongoing.
Canadians in Taiwan described scenes of chaos and violent shaking that shifted furniture and almost knocked people off their feet during the quake that struck during the Wednesday morning rush hour.
Vancouver-based community events organizer Charlie Wu said his rented 12th-floor apartment in the Taiwanese capital of Taipei shook for 香蕉视频直播渨hat seemed like minutes,香蕉视频直播� knocking bottles and plates out of their closed cabinets.
Wu said he could also hear the sounds of glass breaking from several other units in the building, and a number of strong after shocks knocked several items he placed back on shelves to the floor again.
香蕉视频直播淚t香蕉视频直播檚 like getting off the cruise ship,香蕉视频直播� Wu said of his mental state after the quake. 香蕉视频直播淭here香蕉视频直播檚 that feeling (that) you香蕉视频直播檙e not really grounded. It香蕉视频直播檚 like everything is moving and you香蕉视频直播檙e looking at the curtain (to see) if it香蕉视频直播檚 moving or just you in your head, that you香蕉视频直播檙e moving.
香蕉视频直播淚 still feel the occasional (aftershock), quick and much smaller than what it was this morning. But, again, when you were on (the) 12th floor, it香蕉视频直播檚 easily felt, and I don香蕉视频直播檛 know if I香蕉视频直播檓 going to be able to sleep well with that feeling in my head.香蕉视频直播�
Tech firm employee Yvonne Chen, who splits her time between Burnaby, B.C., and Taipei, said the shaking on her 10th-floor apartment shifted a large cabinet 15 centimetres off its base, and she had to crouch to prevent herself from falling over.
Chen said the quake was mild when it started and she continued to get ready for her commute to work, until the shaking grew more powerful.
香蕉视频直播淚t got to a point where I couldn香蕉视频直播檛 stand, and I had to crouch down,香蕉视频直播� she said in an interview in Mandarin, estimating the shaking to have lasted about a minute.
Chen said she tried to go to work afterwards, but Taipei香蕉视频直播檚 transit rail systems were not operating, while her office building lost power and suffered a broken pipe, resulting in flooding on the first floor.
香蕉视频直播淓ven now, sitting in a chair, I香蕉视频直播檓 nervous and feeling things move all the time,香蕉视频直播� she said. 香蕉视频直播淚 have to ask myself, am I being too sensitive? Am I imagining this?香蕉视频直播�
Both Chen and Wu said the shaking was comparable to the 1999 earthquake in Taiwan that was 7.3 in magnitude, killed more than 2,400 people and destroyed about 52,000 buildings.
Global Affairs Canada said in a statement that any Canadians in need of aid should contact them immediately, adding that there are 5,518 registered Canadian citizens in Taiwan.
Angel Liu, director general of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office, Taiwan香蕉视频直播檚 de facto consulate in Vancouver, said she had a restless night after being overwhelmed with videos and images of heavy infrastructure damage on her social media feed.
香蕉视频直播淭aiwan is located in (an) earthquake frequency area, so we are very experienced in dealing with this kind of natural disaster,香蕉视频直播� Liu said. 香蕉视频直播淏ut it is still very hard to recover in just a short time.
香蕉视频直播淟et香蕉视频直播檚 hope for the best there is minimum loss of lives,香蕉视频直播� Liu said, crossing her fingers.
A number of Canadian leaders expressed support for Taiwan, including Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and British Columbia Premier David Eby, the latter taking to social media platform X to express his condolences.
香蕉视频直播淚香蕉视频直播檓 advised there is no threat to B.C.,香蕉视频直播� Eby said in the post, referring to a possible tsunami. 香蕉视频直播淏ut I know many with family in Taiwan are concerned for the safety of their loved ones.香蕉视频直播�
Trudeau said Canada had reached out to Taiwanese officials and was ready to provide support if needed.
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