Taiwan earthquake: More than 100 people killed and over 500 injured

Rescuers found the bodies of more than 100 people were killed after a block of flats in Taiwan collapsed during an earthquake a week ago, emergency services said Saturday.

Only three residents of the Wei-kuan complex in the southern city of Tainan remained unaccounted for as emergency services drew close to completing their search, after rescuing hundreds of people from the ruins.

The death toll now stands at 114 with 550 injured, according to the latest count from the National Fire Agency.

More than 280 people have been pulled from of the rubble of the 16-storey building since the 6.4-magnitude quake struck one week ago.

Prosecutors on Friday arraigned the builder of the building and also searched his residence, Taiwan News reported.

The builder Lin Ming-hui and two architects believed to be responsible for the construction are being detained.

Taiwan will observe a national day of mourning on Monday with the national flag flying at half mast.

According to Taiwan’s Interior Ministry, workers extracted scores more bodies on yesterday and today morning. Four are still listed as missing.

Authorities have detained the building’s developer Lin Ming-hui and two architects this week on suspicion of negligent homicide amid accusations his firm cut corners in the construction.

Earthquakes frequently strike Taiwan, but usually cause little or no damage, particularly since more stringent building regulations were introduced following a magnitude 7.6 quake in 1999 that killed more than 2,300.