The deadly earthquake hit Taiwan during the busy morning rush,
suspending train service across the island of 23 million people.
It started. It felt like it was up and down,
shaking in the beginning, and then it started really like
shaking side by side.
The magnitude 7.4 quake was the strongest to hit Taiwan
in 25 years.
Violent shaking was felt in Taipei,
6 hours from the epicenter I was.
In the office at that time and people were holding
on to the doors because everything was falling off and
we wanted to get to the doorways in in case
something collapsed.
Books and other items flying off the shelves in this
home.
And this building in the city of Walian is now
leaning on a 45° angle.
The fire department says at least 26 buildings collapsed in
the city,
a popular destination for tourists on the island's East Coast,
about 11 miles from the epicenter,
there have been like rock slides.
Yes, in the mountainous regions.
Traffic was at a virtual standstill in some areas,
with landslides and falling debris hitting tunnels and highways.
The earthquake also triggered small tsunami waves measuring about 1
foot high,
which hit the coast of Japan.
The tsunami did not cause any damage.
The earthquake was also felt along China's coast.