Taipei (dpa) – Religious ceremonies were held in Taiwan Friday to mourn dozens of victims of an 6.4-magnitude earthquake a week ago.
The confirmed death toll reached 98, with most of the victims having perished in an apartment building that collapsed.
People in Taiwan believe the souls of the departed return on the seventh day after death to bid a final farewell to loved ones.
Leading political figures including outgoing President Ma Ying-jeou and president-elect Tsai Ing-wen paid their respects to the relatives.
At least 96 people died when the 17-storey Weiguan Jinlong building collapsed in the southern city of Tainan, authorities said.
Three former executives of the company that developed the complex were arrested Tuesday on suspicion that the construction did not meet safety standards.
The city government is looking initially to sequester 30 million Taiwan dollars (907,000 US dollars) from those responsible to pay compensation to the victims’ families. Further sums could be seized, Mayor Lai Ching-te said.
More bodies were found early Friday at the site of the collapsed apartment building. Officials said 26 people were still unaccounted for at the site.
Another trapped dog was rescued Friday, but the last known human survivors were pulled from the rubble on Monday.
Search operations were ongoing at the site on Friday. City officials said the task had become more challenging because some parts were buried deep underground, state-run Central News Agency reported.
