4 injured as houses collapse in Tainan after earthquakes

Taipei, Jan. 21 (CNA) Four people were injured and hospitalized after being rescued from collapsed or damaged houses in Tainan in southern Taiwan on Tuesday, following a magnitude 6.4 earthquake and multiple aftershocks that hit the region early that morning.

The four individuals were among 11 residents rescued from six collapsed or severely damaged homes in a residential area consisting of single-story houses in Tainan's Nanxi District, according to the Tainan Fire Bureau.

The four sustained minor injuries, such as bruises, and were sent to the hospital. The remaining evacuees were temporarily sheltered outdoors near the area.

Bureau officials said they received a report of house collapses on Minzu Road at 12:19 a.m. and immediately dispatched rescue teams to the site.

Over 10 single-story houses in the area had collapsed or partially collapsed, with residents trapped inside, fire officials said.

One woman, in her 80s, said she had lived in Nanxi her whole life but had never experienced such a strong earthquake. Her phone was crushed, and she barely had time to escape to safety, the woman said.

Tainan Mayor Huang Wei-che (黃偉哲) visited the area Tuesday and promised to provide warm clothing, hot meals and other assistance to the affected residents.