Taiwan has responded to Tuesday's earthquake with an avalanche of aid to help the needy in disaster areas, especially the hardest hit areas of Taichung and Nantou counties.
In addition, condolences and aid have poured in from all over the world.
Madame Chiang Kai-shek (宋美齡), widow of the late ROC President Chiang Kai-shek (蔣介石), yesterday instructed the New York chapter of the ROC Women's Association she heads to donate NT$100 million (US$31,446), and called for assistance efforts from Taiwan's 57 branches.
Despite the tension across the Taiwan Strait, China's Taiwan Studies Graduate School of the China Sociology College donated RMB46,880 (NT$180,000) via the Red Cross Society of the People's Republic of China.
Overseas Chinese have also rendered help. US$100,000 was collected within 24 hours from the Taiwanese community living in southern California and the amount is rising. The Southern California Computer Association yesterday morning donated US$60,000 and the KMT's West Coast office donated US$1,000 in an attempt to encourage more donations from the US.
Taiwanese business communities in the Philippines have also initiated a donation campaign.
Local assistance was also abundant, even from areas hit hardest by the quake.
Taichung County Commissioner Liao Yung-lai (
The county has set up a special account accessible to all those wishing to make a monetary contribution. The name of the account is Taichung County Government 921 Earthquake Disaster Relief Account (
Liao also called for the contribution of non-financial aid including ice boxes, drinking water, food, blankets, tents and medical supplies.
Nantou County has also set up a special account for aid contributions at the Bank of Taiwan's Nantou branch. The account number is 0300088477. DPP Legislator Tsai Huang-lang (
Elsewhere on the island, Taipei Mayor Ma Ying-jeou (
He also urged city government employees to donate one day's salary to further assist.
In addition, he instructed the city's Bureau of Public Health to mobilize city hospital medical equipment and professionals to offer the necessary assistance as soon as possible. Meanwhile, relief materials gathered from city residents will be delivered to the disaster areas.
The KMT, meanwhile, has donated NT$200 million and set up a disaster relief account. Those who wish to help can send their money to the KMT 921 earthquake special account (
So many donations have been made, in fact, that the Ministry of the Interior (MOI) has set up a service center to manage them. The MOI also encouraged the public to wire their donations to the Central Bank Treasury Department account (中央銀行國庫局內政部保管款), No 051043; or MOI 921 disaster relief special account (內政部九一二賑災專戶), No 19389716; or to send cheques to 5 Hsuchou Rd, Taipei, MOI Social Affairs Department 921 disaster relief special account (內政部社會司九二一賑災專戶).
So far the MOI has received many donations from private sector organizations including the Astek Computer Inc (
President Enterprises Corp (
Hsinchu County Commissioner Lin Kuang-hua (
Tainan County has donated NT$25 million and County Commissioner Mark Chen (
Those who wish to make donations can also do so at 7-Eleven stores or send their money to the Tzuchi Foundation account No. 0688779-1.
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