February 7, 2018
No. 013
An earthquake measuring 6.0 on the Richter scale occurred off the coast of Hualien in eastern Taiwan at 11:50 pm on February 6, causing severe damage. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs expresses its appreciation to governments and politicians of Australia, Belize, Canada, the Czech Republic, the Dominican Republic, France, Guatemala, Haiti, the Holy See, Honduras, Japan, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Poland, Saint Lucia, Singapore, Turkey, the United Kingdom, and the United States, as well as the European Union, for having conveyed concern and condolences as of 7 pm on February 7.
Following the earthquake, the Central Emergency Operation Center was activated in the early hours of February 7. President Tsai Ing-wen and Premier Lai Ching-te instructed all government agencies to fully support rescue efforts and exhaust all possibilities in searching for survivors. MOFA’s Eastern Taiwan Office immediately dispatched staff to the Hualien disaster response center to support the government’s rescue operations and assist with any matters pertaining to foreign nationals affected by the earthquake.
In addition to maintaining close contact with other countries’ embassies and representative offices in Taiwan, MOFA will coordinate with domestic agencies in offering necessary assistance to affected foreign nationals. Foreign nationals requiring assistance can also call MOFA’s 24-hour emergency hotline (0800-085-095).
For the latest information on the earthquake’s aftermath, please visit the website of the Central Emergency Operation Center (www.emic.gov.tw) or the Facebook page of the National Fire Agency (www.facebook.com/NFA999). (E)