Hualien County, on Taiwan's east coast, is a scenic and tranquil tourist destination with famous valleys and aquamarine waters, away from the island's urban centers. It is also prone to earthquakes, as it is located on several active faults.
According to the 2020 census, the prefecture has a population of approximately 300,000 people, about one-third of whom live in the coastal city of Hualien, which is the prefectural capital. It is one of the least populated areas in Taiwan. About a three-hour train ride from the capital Taipei, the city bills itself as the island's first place in the sun.
Hualien County is home to Taroko National Park, one of Taiwan's most popular scenic spots. Tourists come to explore Taroko Gorge, a marble-striped canyon carved by the Liwu River that cuts through the mountains that rise steeply from the coast. Hualien City is a popular tourist destination and is the gateway to national parks.
On Wednesday, three hikers were trapped on a trail near the entrance to a gorge after an earthquake caused rocks to fall, the state-run Central News Agency said. According to the news agency, two of them were found dead. According to the report, administrators said many roads within the park were cut off by the quake, potentially trapping hikers.
Earthquakes occur with certain regularity in Hualien. In 2018, a magnitude 6.5 earthquake struck just before midnight with its epicenter just northeast of Hualien City, killing 17 people and injuring hundreds.
According to news reports at the time, many of the victims of the quake lived in a 12-story building that was severely tilted, with much of the first four floors destroyed. The following year, the region was rocked by a magnitude 6.1 earthquake, injuring 17 people.
This area has some of the highest concentrations of indigenous peoples in Taiwan, and several of the island's indigenous tribes call this county home.