Taiwan mourns earthquake victims
February 12, 2016
At least 90 people died and up to 41 are still missing after last week's 6.4 magnitude earthquake in southern Taiwan. Taiwanese leaders and victims' relatives have held a memorial ceremony to honor the dead.
Family members bowed before pictures of the victims and lit incense at the memorial service attended by President Ma Ying-jeou and President-elect Tsai Ing-wen on Friday.
Friday marks the seventh day since the earthquake and a day of special mourning, according to traditional funeral rituals.
The death toll rose to 94 early Friday, according to Taiwan's Interior Ministry, with as many as 41 people are still missing and presumed trapped under the rubble. Most of the victims were from an apartment building that collapsed. Rescuers are still digging in a desperate search for survivors. The last survivor was found on Monday.
Three executives from the company that built the apartment complex have been arrested on charges the construction did not follow building codes. Almost a million dollars in assets belonging to the developer and three associates of the collapsed building will be seized, a court ruled Friday.
cw/sms (AP, dpa)