Passenger train services along the east coast were fully restored by yesterday morning, after efforts to clear blocked sections caused by the earthquake the day before. Transportation authorities also opened maritime routes and added more flights to relieve urgent transportation needs due to blocked highways to Hualien County.
After round-the-clock work to clear the rails, Taiwan Railway Corp announced the full restoration of a previously impassable section between Suao Township (蘇澳) in Yilan County and Siulin Township (秀林) in Hualien County.
“The two-way rail tracks on the eastern trunk line are back to normal, and all stations along the line have resumed passenger services,” the rail company said in a statement yesterday morning.
Photo courtesy of the Pingtung County Police Bureau via CNA
Ten more local train departures have also been added between Yilan City and Hualien City.
The Ministry of Transportation and Communications (MOTC) arranged for maritime transport services for the east coast and authorized domestic airlines to add two daily flights from Taipei to Hualien City, to help people return home. Hualien has been cut off, as Suhua Highway, the main road to the north, was shut down due to numerous rockslides, just before the start of the Tomb Sweeping Day long holiday.
The Maritime and Port Bureau has arranged for the use of the cargo ship Taipei Express to provide transport services for two days to and from Hualien City. The vessel is a roll-on/roll-off ship designed to transport wheeled vehicles, including cars, motorcycles and trucks.
It disembarked from Suao Port at 9:30am yesterday, arriving at Hualien Port at about 1:30pm. A return trip was scheduled to leave Hualien Port and arrive at Suao Port at about 7pm.
The Taipei Express carried a total of 164 vehicles yesterday, including 148 cars, eight large trucks and eight small trucks, the MOTC said.
From today, the ministry commissioned the ferry New Taima to aid transport services between Suao and Hualien over the weekend. The ferry can carry 642 passengers, and 45 cars or 18 tour buses, officials said. It left Suao Port today at 9:30am and returned to Suao at 2:30pm.
There were also reports of heavy traffic along the South Link Highway yesterday, which cuts across the southern portion of the Central Mountain Range and connects Pingtung County to Taitung City, since it was the only passable road for vehicles traveling between the west and east coasts.
Search-and-rescue efforts are still ongoing for about 40 people who remain missing, while tour groups and independent travelers have been found in the mountainous areas of Taroko National Park and the Central Cross-Island Highway, local authorities said.
Workers resumed services to most sections of the Circular Line (Yellow Line) in New Taipei City, Department of Rapid Transit Systems said.
The Dapinglin to Zhonghe stations are to resume services before the morning commute on Monday if there are no safety issues, it said.
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