Associated Press
TAIPEI, Taiwan — Cranes and scaffolding at a high-rise building site went crashing to the ground after a powerful earthquake jolted Taiwan on Sunday, killing five construction workers, authorities said.
More than 200 injuries were reported across the island, mostly minor, as the quake started fires, shattered windows and cracked walls. The U.S. Geological Survey estimated its magnitude at 7.1.
Two cranes fell from the 60th floor of a high-rise building under construction. Television footage showed the cranes tumbling down from the top of the structure, bringing steel beams and chunks of cement down with it.
About 10 people were hurt by the falling debris, including a woman whose hand was severed when part of a crane came crashing down on her car.
Elsewhere in Taipei, the capital, buildings rocked back and forth, cracks appeared in walls and frightened people ran from homes and churches. State radio said that gas leaks started several small fires.
Tremors frequently shake Taiwan, but most cause little or no damage. However, a magnitude 7.6 earthquake in September 1999 killed 2,378 people and destroyed more than 40,000 homes.
Copyright ©2002 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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