Miracle in the Rubble: Zhang Jinghong’s 86-Hour Fight for Survival After Devastating 921 Earthquake

Taichung City Government Holds Rescue Thanksgiving Ceremony

(Central News Agency reporter Hao Juiqing, Taichung, 21) Today, the Taichung City Government held a “rescue thanksgiving ceremony” to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the September 21 earthquake. 6-year-old Zhang Jinghong was buried for 86 hours before being rescued by a Korean search and rescue team. Taichung Mayor Lu Xuan was present to thank the search and rescue team.

The Taichung City Government and the National Museum of Natural Science jointly organized a special event to mark the 25th anniversary of the September 21 earthquake. The event led the public to take a time machine to review the past history, and specially invited foreign units to thank the heroes of this city.

“Don’t forget 921!” 25 years ago today, a massive 7.3 magnitude earthquake struck the central region, killing more than 1,267 people overnight. In the Greater Taichung area, numerous houses were destroyed, and international rescue workers immediately showed humanity and reciprocity to help rehabilitate and rebuild the victims.

During the 921 earthquake, the Dali Dynasty building where Zhang Jinghong lived collapsed. The Korean search and rescue team, who rescued Zhang Jinghong, was also present at the ceremony.

Zhang Jinghong, now 31 years old, expressed his gratitude to the rescue team. He said that when the earthquake happened, he had no idea that when he woke up, it was black, and he could not see his fingers. What was very impressive was the sound of many people breaking through the wall in front of him, and the people outside his movement lets find him and rescue him.

On behalf of all citizens, Lu Xuan expressed his gratitude to domestic and foreign units that assisted in disaster relief that year, including the Canadian Trade Office in Taipei, the Japan-Taiwan Exchange Association, the Korean Representative Office in Taipei, the Singapore Commercial Taipei Office, the German Association of Taiwan, the German International Search and rescue teams, foreign units such as the German Rescue Dog Association, as well as 25 domestic groups and individuals.