A banner that reads ''Don't Give Up,  Hualien Come On" hangs near a partially collapsed building a day after a powerful earthquake struck, in Hualien, southeast China's Taiwan, April 4, 2024. (PHOTO / AP)

TAIPEI/BEIJING - The number of injured in Wednesday's 7.2-magnitude quake in China's Taiwan rose to 1,058, authorities said, while most of the roughly 50 hotel workers marooned on a highway as they travelled to a resort in a national park had been located.

A helicopter plucked to safety on Thursday six people stranded in a mining area after Taiwan's worst earthquake in 25 years, while hundreds of aftershocks rocking the eastern region near its epicentre drove scores more to seek shelter outdoors.

A total of 96 aftershocks were recorded on Wednesday night and early Thursday, Taiwan's meteorological agency said

A further 646 people are still trapped, most of them in hotels in the park, a key tourist attraction, as the road was cut off, the fire department said.

The death toll stayed at nine from the earthquake that struck offshore on Wednesday, just as people were readying to go to work and school in largely rural and sparsely populated Hualien county.

Buildings also shook violently in Taipei, the capital, but there was minimal damage and disruption there.

Taiwan's meteorological agency described the earthquake as the strongest to hit the island in 25 years since a deadly quake struck on Sept 21, 1999.

This photo taken on April 3, 2024 shows a damaged residential building in Hualien, southeast China's Taiwan. (PHOTO / XINHUA)

Those trapped in buildings in the worst-hit city of Hualien have all been rescued, but many residents unnerved by more than 300 aftershocks spent the night outdoors.

A total of 96 aftershocks were recorded on Wednesday night and Thursday early morning, according to Taiwan's meteorological agency.

The epicenters of all the aftershocks, which occurred from 11 pm Wednesday to 8:20 am Thursday (Beijing Time), were located in Hualien county's coastal area and nearby waters. The maximum earthquake intensity reached 4 magnitude, the agency said. The aftershocks were particularly severe at around 2:30 am and 3 am Thursday, prompting the authorities to issue a mobile phone earthquake warning to citizens.

This photo taken on April 3, 2024 shows a landslide at the entrance of a tunnel in Hualien, southeast China's Taiwan. (PHOTO / XINHUA)

Xinhua correspondents reported seeing some houses with damaged walls, deformed pillars, and some wall collapses in Hualien City.

The railway line to Hualien re-opened ahead of schedule on Thursday, although one rural station north of Hualien city remains closed due to damage, the railway administration said.

Early Thursday morning, an official of Hualien told reporters that the search and rescue efforts in Hualien were almost complete, with the exception of the Taroko Scenic Area, which was difficult to evacuate in time due to traffic disruptions.

This photo taken on April 3, 2024 shows a damaged vehicle in Taichung, southeast China's Taiwan. (PHOTO / XINHUA)

Search and rescue teams from all over Taiwan came to Hualien. Tents and daily necessities were provided to people who were temporarily staying in shelters due to damaged houses. 

The earthquake caused relatively minor damage in areas other than Hualien county where 20 shelters have been set up

According to information released by the island's emergency disaster management agency and media reports, the earthquake caused relatively minor damage in areas other than Hualien, while the majority of the casualties and trapped people were in Hualien.

According to statistics from Hualien county, there are 20 shelters established in the county.

Taiwan's meteorological agency said quakes measuring 7 on the Richter scale might happen in the next three days.

A spokesperson for the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council said that the mainland was highly concerned about the situation and extended sincere sympathy to the Taiwan compatriots affected by the disaster.

The mainland is ready to provide disaster relief assistance, said spokesperson Zhu Fenglian.

This photo taken on April 4, 2024 shows a shelter at a primary school in Hualien, southeast China's Taiwan. (PHOTO / XINHUA)

Across the Taiwan Strait, tremors were also felt in Fujian, Guangdong, Shanghai, Zhejiang and Jiangsu on the Chinese mainland.

Railway services in Fujian and Jiangxi provinces all resumed operations after widespread train delays and cancellations, said local railway authorities. 

On Thursday, China Railway Nanchang Group Co, Ltd in Jiangxi added 97 passenger trains to meet the growing travel demand during the Qingming Festival holiday. Thursday is Qingming Festival, also known as Tomb-Sweeping Day.

With Reuters inputs