Rescue work continues at a high-rise collapsed apartment building in Tainan, southern Taiwan, on Feb 8, 2016, two days after the 6.7-magnitude quake hit. [Photo/IC]

"It was a day of vain attempts," said a rescuer, who had joined the work since Saturday morning. He said the previous search had been slow as big machines were limited in use for avoiding additional damage to possible survivors.

Sine Monday evening, heavy machines have been used for help.