Quake kills five as it rattles the nation

Lin Hong-ching (林宏清) and Chu Su-li (朱素里) were faced with a life-and-death decision.

Stay inside their Mazda, where they had been waiting for the light to change at the intersection of Hsinyi and Sungchih Roads, or make a break for it.

"We were struggling to decide whether or not to leave," the 29-year-old Lin said. "Bricks kept falling, so we decided to stay put."

The couple survived, but just barely.

Yesterday's quake, which measured 6.8 on the Richter scale, shook loose two massive construction cranes perched atop the 56th floor of what is to be a 101-story skyscraper, the Taipei Financial Center.

The cranes plummeted to the ground below, smashing into several cars -- including Lin and Chu's.

But while the couple survived with barely a scratch, the taxi cab just one car ahead of them didn't appear so lucky.

"When I saw the taxi get hit, I knew right away he was killed," Lin said.

The cab driver made it through, though he was seriously hurt. According to police reports, an officer pulled Lu Qiou-long (盧秋隆) from his crushed cab and the driver was taken to Taipei Medical University Hospital.

Lu's condition was unknown as of press time yesterday.

Five construction workers were not so fortunate. They were building what is expected to be the world's tallest skyscraper when they died yesterday. One of the workers was operating a crane when the quake struck at 2:52pm.

Lin said he saw at least one construction worker fall from the building.

That worker was believed to be Chen Jin-shuei (陳錦水), who was on the 48th or 49th floor and struck by one of the cranes as it fell.

Chen showed no signs of life when he was taken to the hospital. Doctors at Taipei Medical University were unable to save him.

Chen was one among 20 construction workers and passers-by at the site of the Taipei Financial Center that were taken to Taipei Medical University.

Government officials yesterday ordered construction on the 101-story building stopped, pending further safety checks.

Financial backers of the building said yesterday's quake didn't harm the skyscraper's structure and work would resume after safety inspections are performed.

The skyscraper is being built by the China Development Financial Holding Corp, the Koo's Group, the Linden Group, Shinkong Group and Hung Kuo Group.

Elsewhere in Taipei, a four-story apartment building on Chengte Road partially collapsed, leaning dangerously toward the street.

Seven residents were trapped and were quickly rescued. They were taken to Mackay Memorial Hospital and their injuries weren't said to be serious.

On the first floor of the building is a motor repair shop. The four-story building will be completely torn down within three days.

In Taipei County, reports said that more than 100 residents whose houses were declared too dangerous to live in after the quake were evacuated to a temporary shelter.

In all, more than 220 people nationwide reported injuries, most of them minor, according to the Cabinet.

The Central Weather Bureau said the quake's epicenter was located 44.3km east of Hualien City and 9.6km below the surface.

In Taipei the temblor registered 5 on the Richter scale. In Taichung it was 3, Chiayi 4, Taitung 3 and Tainan 2.

Most of the damage was limited to the Taipei metropolitan area. Nantou County -- which bore the brunt of the 921 earthquake in 1999, in which nearly 2,400 people died -- was spared.