As the death and injury toll in earthquake-struck Turkey rises, cash donations have flowed from across Taiwan, with more than NT$271.77 million (US$9.02 million) received as of Friday, the Ministry of Health and Welfare said in a statement yesterday.
More than 43,000 donations had been made through a dedicated account as of 5pm, the ministry said.
With NT$83.53 million in the account the previous day, Friday’s total represented a NT$188.24 million one-day jump in donations.
Photo courtesy of the Buddhist Compassion Relief Tzu Chi Foundation
More than 20,600 people were killed in Turkey and 3,500 in Syria, according to officials in the region, after a magnitude 7.8 earthquake struck on Monday.
Many Taiwanese companies and other organizations pledged donations, including IC packaging and testing services provider ASE Technology Holding Co (日月光投控), which on Friday said it would donate NT$10 million.
Asustek Computer Inc (華碩), which has about 100 employees at a branch in Turkey, is encouraging its employees in Taiwan to contribute, and had raised more than NT$5 million as of Friday, a person at the company said.
Elevator and escalator manufacturer Golden Friends Corp (GFC, 崇友實業) and the GFC Foundation (崇友文教基金會) said they had jointly donated NT$8 million through the ministry’s dedicated account.
The Taiwan Stock Exchange, Taiwan Futures Exchange, Taiwan Depository and Clearing Corp (台灣集中保管結算所) and the Taipei Exchange together donated NT$4 million.
The Rong San Lin Foundation of Culture and Social Welfare (林榮三文化公益基金會) on Thursday pledged NT$10 million. Mr Rong San Lin (林榮三) founded the Taipei Times and its sister paper, the Liberty Times.
China Medical University Hospital has pledged NT$5 million.
President Chain Store Corp (統一超商), which operates 7-Eleven convenience store franchises in Taiwan, has teamed up with Taiwan World Vision to allow cash donations at kiosks at any 7-Eleven branch, or by using the Open Point app.
Meanwhile, the Turkish Trade Office in Taipei yesterday said that it must stop accepting relief supplies at its office, as it has received more than it can handle.
The office said in a statement that it is grateful for the generosity and kindness of Taiwanese who have donated money and goods to assist earthquake victims, with the quantity being more than expected.
The Buddhist Compassion Relief Tzu Chi Foundation in particular has helped collect winter clothing and other cold-weather necessities for displaced earthquake survivors facing freezing weather conditions.
Taiwan has also sent two search-and-rescue teams totaling 130 members and five search dogs to help find survivors.
The Central Weather Administration (CWA) yesterday said it expected to issue a sea warning for Typhoon Fung-Wong tomorrow, which it said would possibly make landfall near central Taiwan. As of 2am yesterday, Fung-Wong was about 1,760km southeast of Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), Taiwan’s southernmost point, moving west-northwest at 26kph. It is forecast to reach Luzon in the northern Philippines by tomorrow, the CWA said. After entering the South China Sea, Typhoon Fung-Wong is likely to turn northward toward Taiwan, CWA forecaster Chang Chun-yao (張峻堯) said, adding that it would likely make landfall near central Taiwan. The CWA expects to issue a land
Taiwan’s exports soared to an all-time high of US$61.8 billion last month, surging 49.7 percent from a year earlier, as the global frenzy for artificial intelligence (AI) applications and new consumer electronics powered shipments of high-tech goods, the Ministry of Finance said yesterday. It was the first time exports had exceeded the US$60 billion mark, fueled by the global boom in AI development that has significantly boosted Taiwanese companies across the international supply chain, Department of Statistics Director-General Beatrice Tsai (蔡美娜) told a media briefing. “There is a consensus among major AI players that the upcycle is still in its early stage,”
The Central Weather Administration (CWA) yesterday said it is expected to issue a sea warning for Typhoon Fung-wong this afternoon and a land warning tomorrow. As of 1pm, the storm was about 1,070km southeast of Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), Taiwan’s southernmost point, and was moving west-northwest at 28 to 32kph, according to CWA data. The storm had a radius of 250km, with maximum sustained winds of 173kph and gusts reaching 209kph, the CWA added. The storm is forecast to pass near Luzon in the Philippines before entering the South China Sea and potentially turning northward toward Taiwan, the CWA said. CWA forecaster Chang Chun-yao (張峻堯) said
Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi yesterday said that China using armed force against Taiwan could constitute a "survival-threatening situation" for Japan, allowing the country to mobilize the Japanese armed forces under its security laws. Takaichi made the remarks during a parliamentary session while responding to a question about whether a "Taiwan contingency" involving a Chinese naval blockade would qualify as a "survival-threatening situation" for Japan, according to a report by Japan’s Asahi Shimbun. "If warships are used and other armed actions are involved, I believe this could constitute a survival-threatening situation," Takaichi was quoted as saying in the report. Under Japan’s security legislation,
RSS