Rail services resume after overnight derailment of Puyuma Express in Hualien

Taipei, April 11 (CNA) Rail services on the east coast line have resumed after a disruption Wednesday night, when a Puyuma Express train was derailed by falling rocks in Hualien County, Taiwan Railway Corp. (TRC) said Thursday.

None of the 146 passengers who were traveling on the route from Taitung to New Taipei's Shulin were injured in the train accident, which occurred at 9:10 p.m. Wednesday, when the locomotive was hit by falling rocks in the wake of a deadly magnitude 7.2 earthquake on the east coast a week ago, TRC said.

A relief train was sent to pick up the passengers at 10:21 p.m. at Heping Station in Hualien, and they continued onward to Shulin, the terminal station in New Taipei, according to a statement issued by TRC.

Meanwhile, the derailed train was pulled back onto the rails at 3:32 a.m. Thursday and towed to Heping Station at 4:50 a.m., TRC said.

Following an inspection of the train, the track, catenary and signal systems, and other equipment, rail traffic resumed on the line at 6 a.m. Thursday, the state-run corporation said.

The company also said it will offer refunds, ticket exchanges or compensation to the 146 passengers who were on the Puyuma Express train at the time of the derailment.

Since the devastating earthquake struck off the coast of Hualien at 7:58 a.m. on April 3, trains between Heping and Heren stations in the county have been running at reduced speeds, due to the many aftershocks in the area, according to TRC.