April 26, 2015
No. 073
A 7.9-magnitude earthquake struck Nepal at about noontime (Nepal time) on April 25, causing severe damage. In response, the ROC Office of the President and Executive Yuan immediately instructed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA), National Fire Agency, Tourism Bureau, and Taipei Economic and Cultural Center in India to closely watch the subsequent developments and provide assistance to ROC nationals in need. Based on the humanitarian spirit of borderless relief, the ROC government immediately extended its condolences and willingness to aid disaster victims through the TECC India the same day. It also announced a donation of US$300,000 for relief efforts.
MOFA and the representative office in India promptly set in motion emergency response mechanisms so as to gather information on the disaster and Nepal’s needs with respect to rescue operations, medical care, and relief supplies. They also coordinated with related ROC government agencies and civic organizations to provide necessary assistance.
As of 3:00 PM on April 26, there were 167 ROC tourists in Nepal, with 131 of them reporting in safe. They include a 13-member World League for Democracy ROC Chapter delegation led by Yao Eng-chi, league president, and accompanied by ROC Representative to India Tien Chung-kwang; a group of 24 mountain climbers; a 10-person tour group led by Tung Ling Travel Service Co., Ltd.; an 11-member tour group led by ROC Tours; and an 11-person tour group led by Dragon Tours, Inc. ROC government agencies are actively trying to contact the rest.
To collect donations for disaster victims, the ROC government immediately launched a month-long fund-raising campaign. MOFA will forward the donations made by the public to Nepal so that the funds can be used to aid the affected areas in the shortest time possible. Domestic monetary donations can be remitted to the following special account:
Account Name: Ministry of Health and Welfare Donation A/C
Account Number: 270750
Bank Name: Department of the Treasury, Central Bank of the Republic of China (Taiwan)
Donations from abroad can be remitted to the following account:
Account Name: Ministry of Health and Welfare Donation A/C
Account Number: 007-09-11868-0
Bank Name: Foreign Department, Mega International Commercial Bank.
Donors should specify that their contributions are for the Nepal earthquake relief fund.
The contact person for the above matters (Heng Chan, section chief with the MOHW
Department of Social Assistance and Social Work) may be reached at the following telephone number: +886-936-634-390. Civic organizations wanting to hold donation campaigns are reminded to first obtain a permit from the competent authorities in accordance with the Charity Donations Destined for Social Welfare Funds Implementation Regulations.
The Nepali government has declared a state of emergency. Unfortunately, Tribhuvan International Airport in the capital Kathmandu was temporarily closed, with civilian flights resuming at 1:30 PM, Taipei time, on April 26.
MOFA calls on ROC citizens to refrain from traveling to Nepal for the time being. Those in the affected area and in need of immediate assistance may call TECC in India at +91-9810-502-610 or the MOFA Emergency Call Center hotline in Taiwan at +886-800-085-095.
The ROC representative office in India has also acquired permission to use the I-Kuan Tao’s Kathmandu branch as a provisional liaison center and shelter for ROC nationals seeking relief. In addition, the representative office is coordinating with Fo Guang Shan Monastery’s Kathmandu branch to establish a second emergency shelter there. ROC nationals in need of help may also try to contact these branches using the phone numbers above for the representative office in India and MOFA.
The earthquake, which had an epicenter 77 kilometers northwest of Kathmandu, was the largest in Nepal since 1934. According to official statistics, as of 9:00 AM on April 26, the death toll had exceeded 1,800, with the number of injured estimated at 5,000. These numbers are expected to climb. The ROC government extends its deepest sympathies to the earthquake victims and hopes that the rescue missions and recuperation efforts will move forward as smoothly and swiftly as possible. (E)