Strongest earthquake in 25 years rocks Taiwan, killing nine people, stranding 70 workers in quarries [Video]

The strongest earthquake in a quarter-century rocked Taiwan during the morning rush hour on Wednesday, killing nine people, trapping dozens in quarries and sending some residents scrambling out the windows of damaged buildings. A tsunami warning was triggered but later lifted.

The quake, which also injured more than 1000, was centred off the coast of rural, mountainous Hualien County, where some buildings leaned at severe angles, their ground floors crushed.

Just more than 150 kilometres away in the capital of Taipei, tiles fell from older buildings, and schools evacuated their students to sports fields, equipping them with yellow safety helmets. Some children covered themselves with textbooks to guard against falling objects as aftershocks continued.