Premier Su Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌) yesterday asked the Ministry of Health and Welfare (MOHW) to open an account to accept donations for victims of the Taroko Express No. 408 train crash and their families.
Su made the request in response to inquiries about where to donate to victims of Friday’s crash and their families.
As of 7pm yesterday, 51 people were reported dead and at least 188 injured after the train, heading from New Taipei City’s Shulin Railway Station for Taitung, hit a crane truck that had slid down a hill from a nearby construction site onto the rails, as the train was about to enter Cingshuei Tunnel (清水隧道) in Hualien’s Sioulin Township (秀林).
Those wishing to make a donation at a bank in Taiwan can transfer funds to Central Bank of the Republic of China account No. 270750. The name on the account, which must be provided in Chinese, is 衛生福利部賑災專戶 (Ministry of Health and Welfare disaster relief account), the ministry said.
Those donating through postal remittance can use account No. 50269506, along with the aforementioned account name, it said.
Donations made from abroad can be made to Mega International Commercial Bank account No. 007-09-11868-0, along with the same account name as above, it added.
The New Taipei City Government also said that donations could be made either through the city’s “Good Day” platform (https://goodday.ntpc.gov.tw/pwntpc/), or through an account established by the city’s Social Welfare Department.
Those who wish to donate money through a bank transfer can send funds to account No. 027038002803, established at the Bank of Taiwan’s Banciao District (板橋) branch. Bank transfers should include the note “太魯閣號翻覆意外案” (“overturned Taroko train accident”) in Chinese, it said.
The city would ensure all funds received were dispersed to victims and their families, it added.
Two high-profile Hong Kongers have each pledged to donate NT$1 million (US$35,047) to the families of the victims.
In a Facebook post yesterday, Hong Kong political scientist Simon Shen (沈旭暉) wrote that he would donate NT$1 million to the victims’ families, while Hong Kong actor Chapman To (杜汶澤) made an identical pledge on Facebook.
Shen called on Hong Kongers worldwide to also donate to show their gratitude for Taiwan’s support for Hong Kong amid Beijing’s efforts to tighten its grip on the territory.
The government was one of the few in the world that stood by Hong Kong during the pro-democracy protests in 2019 and last year, and is trusted by Hong Kongers, said Shen, who is a former research assistant professor at the Hong Kong Institute of Asia-Pacific Studies.
He now runs a company in Taiwan.
To also said he was grateful for Taiwanese’s support of Hong Kong.
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