TAIPEI - A hotel employee in his 50s was rescued early Wednesday (Feb 7) from a partially collapsed hotel in Taiwan's port city of Hualien. which was struck by a magnitude 6.0 earthquake late Tuesday.
The quake on the east coast of Taiwan has left at least two dead and more than 200 injured.
The man, Chen Ming-hui, was rescued from Marshal Hotel in Hualien City after being trapped for around four hours in the basement of the 11-storey hotel, reported Taiwan's Central News Agency.
The bottom three floors of the building had caved in following the quake, but Chen was able to survive because parts of Basement 1 did not collapse.
He was able to contact rescue personnel with his mobile phone.
Chen, who had no apparent physical injury, told reporters that he was about to get off work when the earthquake hit at 11.50pm on Tuesday.
Two employees on the first floor of the hotel remain missing.
Most of the dozens of guests in the building were fortunately staying on the fifth floor and above, and no guests have been reported missing thus far, reported Taiwan News.
The hotel building, which was was left slanting on its side after the quake, was the worst hit among five buildings which collapsed following the quake.
Several people are also reportedly trapped in the Yun Tsui building, where a hotpot restaurant is located.
A hospital was also damaged, the island's disaster agency said.
Hualien is one of Taiwan's most popular tourist hubs as it lies on the picturesque east coast rail line and is near to popular Taroko Gorge.
