Canadian English teacher Jonathan McGill said the shaking from Taiwan91裸聊视频檚 largest earthquake in 25 years was so forceful that he thought his apartment building might collapse.
McGill, a former Ottawa resident who has been living in Hsinchu, Taiwan, for the last seven years, described the quake Wednesday as something he has never felt before, with his ceiling fan swaying about 30 centimetres off its axis.
91裸聊视频淭oday was the first time I ever thought to myself, what is the breaking point basically of a building?91裸聊视频� he said. 91裸聊视频淏ecause it91裸聊视频檚 not supposed to really do that.
91裸聊视频淥bviously, they91裸聊视频檙e built to withstand some kind of shaking. But it was going pretty bad side-to-side, and it makes you really start to wonder, is it going to get to the point where it91裸聊视频檒l fall down?91裸聊视频�
Taiwan91裸聊视频檚 Central Emergency Operations Centre said the earthquake was centred off Hualien County, about 150 kilometres south of Taipei, and reached a magnitude of 7.2, leaving at least nine dead, 946 injured and 152 stranded in its aftermath.
Local firefighters said on a Facebook post that two Canadians were among a group of 12 people stranded by rock slides on a trail in Taroko National Park, a renowned hiking destination, and rescue efforts were ongoing.
Canadians in Taiwan described scenes of chaos and violent shaking that shifted furniture and almost knocked people off their feet during the quake that struck during the Wednesday morning rush hour.
Vancouver-based community events organizer Charlie Wu said his rented 12th-floor apartment in the Taiwanese capital of Taipei shook for 91裸聊视频渨hat seemed like minutes,91裸聊视频� knocking bottles and plates out of their closed cabinets.
Wu said he could also hear the sounds of glass breaking from several other units in the building, and a number of strong after shocks knocked several items he placed back on shelves to the floor again.
91裸聊视频淚t91裸聊视频檚 like getting off the cruise ship,91裸聊视频� Wu said of his mental state after the quake. 91裸聊视频淭here91裸聊视频檚 that feeling (that) you91裸聊视频檙e not really grounded. It91裸聊视频檚 like everything is moving and you91裸聊视频檙e looking at the curtain (to see) if it91裸聊视频檚 moving or just you in your head, that you91裸聊视频檙e moving.
91裸聊视频淚 still feel the occasional (aftershock), quick and much smaller than what it was this morning. But, again, when you were on (the) 12th floor, it91裸聊视频檚 easily felt, and I don91裸聊视频檛 know if I91裸聊视频檓 going to be able to sleep well with that feeling in my head.91裸聊视频�
Tech firm employee Yvonne Chen, who splits her time between Burnaby, B.C., and Taipei, said the shaking on her 10th-floor apartment shifted a large cabinet 15 centimetres off its base, and she had to crouch to prevent herself from falling over.
Chen said the quake was mild when it started and she continued to get ready for her commute to work, until the shaking grew more powerful.
91裸聊视频淚t got to a point where I couldn91裸聊视频檛 stand, and I had to crouch down,91裸聊视频� she said in an interview in Mandarin, estimating the shaking to have lasted about a minute.
Chen said she tried to go to work afterwards, but Taipei91裸聊视频檚 transit rail systems were not operating, while her office building lost power and suffered a broken pipe, resulting in flooding on the first floor.
91裸聊视频淓ven now, sitting in a chair, I91裸聊视频檓 nervous and feeling things move all the time,91裸聊视频� she said. 91裸聊视频淚 have to ask myself, am I being too sensitive? Am I imagining this?91裸聊视频�
Both Chen and Wu said the shaking was comparable to the 1999 earthquake in Taiwan that was 7.3 in magnitude, killed more than 2,400 people and destroyed about 52,000 buildings.
Global Affairs Canada said in a statement that any Canadians in need of aid should contact them immediately, adding that there are 5,518 registered Canadian citizens in Taiwan.
Angel Liu, director general of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office, Taiwan91裸聊视频檚 de facto consulate in Vancouver, said she had a restless night after being overwhelmed with videos and images of heavy infrastructure damage on her social media feed.
91裸聊视频淭aiwan is located in (an) earthquake frequency area, so we are very experienced in dealing with this kind of natural disaster,91裸聊视频� Liu said. 91裸聊视频淏ut it is still very hard to recover in just a short time.
91裸聊视频淟et91裸聊视频檚 hope for the best there is minimum loss of lives,91裸聊视频� Liu said, crossing her fingers.
A number of Canadian leaders expressed support for Taiwan, including Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and British Columbia Premier David Eby, the latter taking to social media platform X to express his condolences.
91裸聊视频淚91裸聊视频檓 advised there is no threat to B.C.,91裸聊视频� Eby said in the post, referring to a possible tsunami. 91裸聊视频淏ut I know many with family in Taiwan are concerned for the safety of their loved ones.91裸聊视频�
Trudeau said Canada had reached out to Taiwanese officials and was ready to provide support if needed.
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