Private quake relief pledges top NT$156 million

Taipei, April 3 (CNA) Prominent Taiwanese companies and Hon Hai founder Terry Gou (郭台銘) pledged to donate NT$156 million (US$5 million) to help with disaster relief after a magnitude 7.2 earthquake struck Taiwan Wednesday.

Hon Hai Technology Group will donate NT$80 million, while Gou will also contribute NT$60 million individually, the company and YongLin Charity Foundation said respectively in a statement.

Taishin Financial Holding Co., Ltd., meanwhile, said it would donate NT$10 million, with 60 percent of the money allocated for relief efforts in Hualien County, the hardest-hit area in the earthquake.

In addition, electronics company Acer Inc. pledged to donate NT$6 million.

Both Hon Hai and Acer said they would immediately remit the money once specific bank accounts have been designated by relevant authorities.

Wednesday's earthquake, which struck at Taiwan at 7:58 a.m. off its eastern coast, left nine people dead and 963 injured as of 10 p.m., figures compiled by the Central Emergency Operation Center showed.

The Ministry of Education reported that the earthquake resulted in damage totaling NT$250 million across 380 schools throughout Taiwan, with the most significant impact observed in areas such as Hualien, Pingtung County and Hsinchu City.

Update

April 4

● Rail traffic between Yilan, Hualien reopens after quake

● More than 70% of TSMC equipment back online after major quake in Taiwan

Related News

April 3

● Taiwan earthquake island's strongest in 25 years: CWA

● Nine dead, over 1,000 injured as earthquake rescue operations continue

● Major earthquake shakes Taiwan, causing landslides, partial building collapse

● Massive earthquake leaves transportation in eastern Taiwan paralyzed

● Multiple countries offer support for Taiwan after Hualien earthquake

● Strong quake leads to halts in production at TSMC, other tech firms

● Third nuclear power plant not affected by massive earthquake