A huge nanmu tree snapped at the base of its trunk yesterday in the Chipen Forest Recreation Area (
Forestry Bureau officials said the roots of the tree, which was so large it took three adults holding hands to embrace its trunk, could no longer support the weight.
The deceased, identified as Hsu Chin-shui (
The two were part of a 200-member tour group composed of Kingcar Industrial (
Hsu and Liu were rushed to a nearby hospital, where doctors were unable to save Hsu.
Liu was diagnosed with a mild concussion.
Liu said she was hit by branches before she realized the tree was falling.
Liu's husband said there was no wind or rainfall at the time.
There were no indications that the tree was about to fall, he said.
The tree, more than 100 years old, was more than 20m tall and overgrown by a multitude of clinging plants.
The nanmu is a large, slow-growing tree of the evergreen laurel family that develops with a long straight trunk ranging between 10m to 40m high, and 50cm to 100cm in diameter.
Additional reporting by Rich Chang
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