In response to yesterday's catastrophic earthquake, President Lee Teng-hui (
The president and Cabinet ministers met late last night at the presidential office to discuss action to be taken in the coming days and weeks. Among the things considered in the meeting was whether the president should use his constitutional power to declare a state of emergency. That proposition was not acted upon.
The president, who had heard reports from his secretary about the disaster around 3:00am yesterday, took a helicopter yesterday morning to visit Nantou and Taichung counties in central Taiwan, where at least 1,000 of the more than 1,500 deaths caused by the quake are said to have occurred.
During his visit, the president said the government's top priority is the rescue of victims trapped in their homes or other areas devastated by the quake. Restoration of water and electricity, he said, was the next priority, followed by the rehabilitation of infrastructure.
Lee called on everyone around the island to join relief work in whatever way they can.
"It's time for us to help our fellow citizens out of their hardship, either by devoting our energy or our money. We as a nation have to unite to rescue our fellow people," Lee said. "I ask the public to stay calm and promise that the government will do its best to help people recover from the trauma and the damage."
The president also expressed sorrow about the deaths caused by the quake, and offered praise for Taiwan's rescue crews and assistance forces from abroad.
The Executive Yuan, in charge of government reaction to the disaster, has set up a number of relief centers around the island. All of them are required to report the most up-to-date information back to their headquarters at the Fire Administration in Taipei.
The Ministry of Interior (MOI) has set up shelters in cities and counties around the island to accommodate victims whose residences were destroyed by the earthquake. Food, clothing and other necessities are being provided at these relief centers.
The ministry has also obtained refrigerators from shipping companies to store the more than 1,500 dead bodies.
The military, meanwhile, has deployed more than 3,000 soldiers and has provided three helicopters to assist rescue work around the island.
In anticipation of possible aftershocks, the government is conducting safety assessments on the island's dams, gas lines, oil storage facilities and power stations. The government is also taking action to attempt to prevent mudslides, which often occur in various parts of the island after downpours.
The Construction & Planning Administration has recruited over 1,500 civil engineers to work out reconstruction plans after structural assessments of damaged and vulnerable buildings.
Prosecutors from the Ministry of Justice have initiated investigations into the likelihood that dishonest dealings by construction companies were a factor in the collapse of so many buildings. There are reports that the ministry plans to probe possible bribery of government officials in exchange for favorable licensing decisions.
The government has allocated at least NT$18.6 billion for emergency funds. The MOI, however, claimed yesterday that the amount is not enough for rescue and reconstruction work and called on the public for donations.
Under the government's compensation program, a family of a deceased victim will be offered NT$500,000; seriously injured victims will receive NT$200,000. Compensation for collapsed buildings will start at NT$200,000, while owners of other damaged buildings will be eligible to receive at least NT$100,000.
Minister of Interior Huang Chu-wen (
Other financial assistance, announced yesterday by the Ministry of Finance, will include a package of domestic tax and tariff breaks. The ministry is also working on a set of guidelines that will enable victims of the earthquake to be eligible for low-interest bank loans.
Taiwan Cooperative Bank (