A married Singaporean couple — Sim Hwee Kok and Neo Siew Choo, both 47 — are the last two people who remain missing after an earthquake struck Taiwan 12 days ago on Apr. 3, 2024.
17 dead, couple are the last two people missing
The Taiwan authorities found the body of a missing truck driver on Apr. 13, Hualien County Fire Department (HLCFD) said in a Facebook post on the same day.
Focus Taiwan reported that rescuers recovered the truck driver's body from a quarry in a mining area in Hualien at 11:45am that day.
This brings the death toll from the earthquake to 17.
Taiwan authorities continued searching for Sim and Neo at the Shakadang Trail in Taroko National Park, the location where they were last seen.
However, search efforts were suspended on Apr. 14 due to safety concerns after aftershocks from the earthquake sent rocks tumbling towards rescue workers and dogs.
@jon73418 砂卡礑搜救遇大量落石 搜救人員受困，救援全面暫停 #花蓮縣消防 #花蓮縣特種搜救隊 #花蓮義消特種搜救大隊 #0403花蓮地震 #消防攝手 ♬ 原聲 - 消防攝手 哲文
Search effort suspended with family's consent
Hualien County Fire Department said the rescue workers and dogs leapt into a nearby stream, narrowly escaping the falling rocks, some of which were the size of a car.
They evacuated through the waterbody. None the rescue workers and dogs were injured.
@ctinews_express砂卡礑遇落石 搜救犬「Fancy」險被砸 領犬員急喚回緊抱♬ 原聲 - 中天新聞速報
Search efforts will resume when the trail is deemed safe and new evidence is found.
Taiwan authorities suspended the search efforts with the consent of Sim and Neo's family, according to TVBS and CNA Taiwan.
Sim and Neo's family members were at the trail on Apr. 14 morning and a religious rite was performed.
The couple's family cried out Sim and Neo's names and asked them to return home.
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Top image from @jon73418/TikTok and 花蓮地震救災即時資訊/Facebook