Dashcam Footage Shows How Dangerous Driving Near a Mountain During an Earthquake Is
On April 3, 2024, the most forceful earthquake Taiwan has experienced in decades rolled across Hualien County. The rural mountainous region suffered landslides and boulder-filled rockfalls that killed more than a dozen people, most of whom were outdoors. The quake injured more than 1,000 people and stranded several hundred others. Dashcam footage of the 2024 Taiwan Earthquake shows just how dangerous driving on a mountain during a natural disaster can be.
X user Levandov shared dashcam footage recorded while a driver navigated a mountainside highway in Hualien County when the earthquake struck. The video is embedded below.
The trip seems to be going very smoothly as the vehicle curves around the scenic road. The driver passes someone on a motorbike. At 00:38, a warning signal sounds from the radio. In less than 10 seconds, rocky debris starts flying down the mountain. The car’s occupants are clearly alarmed. Thankfully, there’s an underpass right up ahead and the driver is able to enter the covered area safely.
Almost immediately, the dashcam shows the mountain letting loose an incredible rockfall. By 01:16, the camera is covered by a dark dust cloud.
Another X user replied with different dashcam footage that was originally posted the day of the quake. It now has 7.8 million views.
In this footage, cars make their way up a mountainside only to realize an earthquake is happening. They stop, then reverse back down the roadway. The car in front of the dash cam is crushed in its right rear corner by a huge boulder that knocks it sideways, stranding the occupants.
The driver with the dashcam continues to zip backward, capturing footage of more giant boulders careening off the mountainside and over other cars.
CNN reported that of those killed during the earthquake, only one was killed inside a collapsed building. The woman allegedly had escaped to safety but then went back inside to save her pet cat.
If an earthquake strikes while you’re driving near a mountain, do the best you can to seek covered shelter. It may be very difficult to avoid rockfalls or landslides, but seconds of awareness and action can make a huge difference in your survival.
