CNA file photo

Taipei, Sept. 20 (CNA) The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) said Wednesday that it had conveyed its condolences to Mexico, on behalf of the government and people of Taiwan, after a magnitude-7.1 earthquake struck the country Tuesday afternoon, killing more than 200 people.

The massive quake hit at 1:13 p.m., leveling buildings in the heavily populated capital Mexico City. More than 200 fatalities have so far been confirmed with thousands injured, according to foreign media reports.

Vice Foreign Minister Jose Maria Liu (劉德立) expressed condolences and solidarity with Mexico in a phone call with Martin Torres, head of that country's representative office in Taipei, the ministry said in a press release.

Liu told the envoy that as Taiwan is also located in an area of high seismic activity, its people understand the trauma and pain the Mexican people are feeling right now.

Rescuers continue to comb through the remains of buildings searching for survivors.

Meanwhile, MOFA confirmed that five Taiwanese were trapped in the rubble of a toppled office building in Mexico City following the quake.

The five include two family members of a Taiwanese businessman surnamed Chen (陳) and three employees, it added.

Taiwan's representative office in Mexico sent staff to the scene to offer assistance, it noted.

According to Taiwan's top envoy to Mexico Carlos Liao (廖世傑), the Taiwanese businessman is Chen Po-wen (陳博文).

Central News Agency's earlier reports quoted an unidentified Taiwanese businessman as saying that Chen's wife's younger sister surnamed King (金) and her daughter as well as another Taiwanese businessmen surnamed Lin (林) were among the five trapped.

(By Joseph Yeh)
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