2 people missing on Shakadang Trail in Taroko Gorge found dead

Taipei, April 5 (CNA) Two people were found dead along the Shakadang Trail at Taroko National Park on Friday morning, partially buried under rocks, as search teams continued to look for four others missing along the trail since Wednesday's devastating earthquake.

The two people found were a man and a woman who were located at the trail's 0.5-kilometer mark, which was one of two spots that sustained damage from rockslides, at around 9:25 a.m. Friday.

Rescue teams said efforts were still underway to free them from a pile of fallen rocks on the trail.

They were among six people who were reported by family members as missing since Wednesday.

Chen Yi-feng (陳義豐), who heads a Special Search and Rescue team from the National Fire Agency, said rescuers deployed sniffer dogs and life detectors to assist their search near the trailhead Friday morning after two days of coming up empty-handed.

As of 3 p.m. Friday, there were still 13 people unaccounted for around Taiwan following the earthquake, the Central Emergency Operation Center (CEOC) said.

Of the 13, three are foreign nationals, one Canadian and two Singaporeans holding Australian passports, according to the CEOC's report.

It also said that 671 people currently remain stuck in the area around Tianxiang, unable to leave because the only road serving the area, Provincial Highway No. 8, is blocked in both directions.

Of the 671 people, 508 are in hotels, 29 are being sheltered at the Tianxiang Catholic Church and 84 are being sheltered at Sipaw Elementary School just northwest of Tianxiang.

The earthquake, the biggest to hit Taiwan in nearly 25 years, has so far resulted in 10 deaths (excluding the two people found at Shakadang) and 1,115 injuries.

Related News

April 4

● Local, central governments set up earthquake aid accounts

● Over 360 aftershocks strike Taiwan following magnitude 7.2 quake

● Rail traffic between Yilan, Hualien reopens after quake

● President, VP thank world leaders for thoughts and prayers after deadly quake

● More than 70% of TSMC equipment back online after major quake in Taiwan

April 3

● Taiwan earthquake island's strongest in 25 years: CWA

● Multiple countries offer support for Taiwan after Hualien earthquake

● Nine dead, over 1,000 injured as earthquake rescue operations continue

● Massive earthquake leaves transportation in eastern Taiwan paralyzed

● Major earthquake shakes Taiwan, causing landslides, partial building collapse