News Daily Spot: Toll from earthquake in Taiwan could exceed 100, there are two more survivors

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Toll from earthquake in Taiwan could exceed 100, there are two more survivors


Rescuers pulled two survivors from the rubble of a collapsed in Taiwan on Monday, more than 48 hours after an earthquake hit the area building, but the mayor of the southern city of Tainan warned that the death toll could exceed 100.

The death toll from the earthquake rose to 37 and more than 100 people are still missing.

The quake occurred at 04.00 local time on Saturday (2000 GMT Friday) at the beginning of the festive Lunar New Year period, and most of the deaths occurred in the collapsed Wei-guan Golden Dragon in Tainan building.

Rescue efforts are focused on the 17-story building where 117 people listed as missing and it is suspected that might be buried under the rubble.

Wang Ting-yu, a legislator who represents the area, told reporters that a woman, identified as Tsao Wei-ling, was found alive under her late husband. Her two-year-old, who also died, was found nearby.

Another survivor, a man named Li Tsung-tian, was removed later on Monday, and Taiwan television stations showed images of rescues.

Tainan Mayor William Lai, said during a visit to a funeral home that rescue efforts had entered what he called the "third stage".

"There are more deaths than people who have been taken (alive), and the death toll is likely to exceed 100," Lai said in comments carried on the website of the United Daily News.

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