TAIPEI (TVBS News) — A powerful 7.2 magnitude earthquake shattered the tranquility of Hualien's mountainous regions on Wednesday (April 3), leaving foreign hikers in a state of shock and awe as they witnessed the landscape transform in an instant. TVBS News reporters spoke with Dutch and French nationals who had narrowly escaped the disaster in Taroko National Park, sharing their harrowing experiences.
Mike, a French national on a solo trip to Taiwan, recounted his terrifying experience near the 2.3 to 2.5 kilometer mark of a trail in Taroko National Park. "I started feeling the earthquake...my reflex is just to go against the wall of the cliff, try to shelter myself like this," Mike said. Shortly after finding temporary shelter, Mike was engulfed in a "rain of rocks and sand," leaving him struggling to breathe. Eventually, he managed to distance himself from the cliff, joining other hikers until the earthquake subsided.
The hikers vividly described the earthquake's aftermath, with pathways obstructed by debris, making it difficult to discern passable routes. Mike, alongside other foreign nationals, navigated their way back with minor injuries, a testament to their survival instincts amid the chaos. "We just parked the bike, and then we got the signal on our phone...We were on the road, but we ran into a tunnel, and there we hid," shared a Dutch hiker, highlighting the spontaneous efforts to seek safety.
The impact of the quake was not just felt by those in Taroko National Park. Falling rocks on the Shakadang Trail injured two Canadian hikers, and later in the evening, two German tourists were rescued with minor injuries, promptly receiving medical treatment.
This devastating earthquake has deeply affected Hualien's mountainous area, with the road to recovery beginning with the reopening of Taiwan Route 8, allowing stranded vehicles to emerge from the disaster zone.