Following a severe earthquake off the coast of Taiwan, the death toll has tragically risen to seven, as confirmed by the Central Emergency Operation Centre (CEOC) on Wednesday.

The 7.2-magnitude earthquake, centered approximately 25 kilometers southeast of Hualien in eastern Taiwan, unleashed a series of landslides across the rugged east coast region.

CEOC reports indicate that the seven victims lost their lives in a tunnel along the Dekalun Trail within a mining area in Hualien County.

Furthermore, 736 individuals sustained injuries, with 77 still trapped inside tunnels.

Among the trapped are a group, including two Germans, stuck inside the Chongde Tunnel within Taroko National Park.

Additionally, approximately 60 individuals remain trapped in the Jinwen Tunnel along the highway connecting Suao and Hualien in eastern Taiwan.