Earthquake in Hualien causes hotel to tilt

HUALIEN (TVBS News) — A magnitude 6 earthquake struck Hualien on Tuesday (April 23), with numerous aftershocks following the quake. 

The Fouquet Hotel in Hualien City, situated at the intersection of Zhongshan Road and Gongzheng Street, sustained significant damage and tilted around 12 degrees. Following an earthquake on April 3, the Tong Shuai Building was scheduled for destruction; nevertheless, it collapsed during the seismic activity.

Engineers are expected to work this morning to stop the Fouquet Hotel from leaning further. The demolition is estimated to be completed within two weeks.

The Fouquet Hotel is located in a busy business area. The crossroads of Zhongshan Road with Zhongzheng Road and Zhonghua Road have been blocked since the decision to destroy the hotel. It's possible that local businesses won't be able to function for the next two weeks.

The renowned Miao Kou Black Tea Shop is across from the Fouquet Hotel. Following the earthquake on April 3, the structure was placed on the hazardous list. A grandma was saved from the building by hastily dispatched firefighters.

Fortunately, the county government stated no injuries or fires were reported from the FouquetHotel or the Tong Shuai Building. Due to the continuous aftershocks, schools and offices are closed today in the county.