The Taipei City Government has spent more than NT$326 million on repairing buildings damaged during the 921 earthquake, including roughly NT$178 million to rebuild the Tunghsing Building (
Chen Jeaw-mei (
Chen said that the city has spent roughly NT$178 million reconstructing the Tunghsing Building. Of that amount, NT$115 million came from city coffers and NT$63 million came from public donations.
The repair of eight buildings condemned by the city has cost roughly NT$148 million. The 921 earthquake left the city with 26 condemned buildings in total.
Chang Po-ching (
For example, residents of the Tunghsing Building are entitled to live in government homes, rent-free, for one year. During the second year, the monthly rental payment is just half the normal amount, he said.
The city has also provided psychological counseling services to survivors. A hotline and a Web site have been set up to help quake survivors cope with the trauma, Chang said.
The Tunghsing Building will be rebuilt from the ground up. Each family will be compensated NT$20,000 per ping (or 3.3 square meters), with award amounts ranging between NT$300,000 and NT$800,000.
Chang said the Haomen Building (
To strengthen the city's disaster-response capabilities, Taipei's 12 districts have set up individual emergency response systems and a disaster prevention park. The park would serve as a shelter center during states of emergency.
In addition, on May 9, the city and the nation's first international rescue team, the 64-member Taipei City Urban Search and Rescue Squad (台北市搜救隊), was formed and is currently in the US for a six-week training program.
The team is expected to return on Sept. 10 to present a mock drill on Sept. 21 in memory of the 921 earthquake.
In addition, the city has adopted three villages in the disaster areas, including the Shihkang village in Taichung County, Kuohsing village in Nantou County and Chungliao village in Nantou County.
Relief programs provided to the areas include continuing education provided to 161 students, the adoption of 16 schools and two months of free food and accommodation for the students.
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