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Bullet train services between Taichung and Kuohsiung cancelled Sat.

Taiwan News
Date: 2016-02-06
By: with CNA, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

Taiwan’s bullet trains would not run in southern Taiwan until at 6733794least 5 p.m. Saturday after its power system in Tainan was damaged in a magnitude 6.4 earthquake earlier in the day, according to Taiwan High Speed Rail Corp.

The bullet train operator said its service remained normal between Taipei and Taichung in central Taiwan, but all trains between Taichung and Zuoying, Kaohsing were canceled due to the damage to the power lines 30 kilometers north of the Tainan station.

No estimated time was given as to when the damage can be repaired. No structural damage was found along the 340-kilometer high-speed railway, the company said.     [FULL  STORY]

Madonna sends condolences to those affected by Taiwan quake

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2016/02/07
By: Christie Chen and Wang Ching-yi

Taipei, Feb. 7 (CNA) American pop icon Madonna on Saturday

(CNA photo Feb. 4, 2016)

(CNA photo Feb. 4, 2016)

night offered her condolences to those affected by a powerful earthquake in southern Taiwan early that day during a concert in Taipei.

“Before I go on, I just want to say how crazy last night was. I’ve experienced earthquakes before in Los Angeles, but I was on the ground, not on the 17th floor of the Mandarin Oriental Hotel,” the pop singer told her thousands of fans at the Rebel Heart concert at Taipei Arena.

She said the experience was “scary” but thankfully her team and people at the concert on Saturday were safe.

“We’re very blessed and also I want to say my condolences to any of the families of the people who lost their lives, people who lost their homes,” she said. “I’m very sorry. We’re very sorry. Let’s remember them and let’s remember how lucky we are.”     [FULL  STORY]

Japan ready to help, Japan PM Shinzo Abe says

Taipei Times
Date: Feb 07, 2016
By: Staff writer, with CNA

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe yesterday said that

A building on Dajhih Road in Tainan’s Sinhua District leans to one side yesterday, threatening to topple onto neighboring buildings, after an earthquake caused its lower floors to collapse. Photo: CNA

A building on Dajhih Road in Tainan’s Sinhua District leans to one side yesterday, threatening to topple onto neighboring buildings, after an earthquake caused its lower floors to collapse. Photo: CNA

Japan is ready to assist Taiwan after a magnitude 6.4 earthquake hit southern Taiwan, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.

Abe offered to provide rescue and relief efforts, in a message conveyed to President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) by Takashi Hamada, secretary-general of Japan’s representative office in Taipei, the ministry said.
The office represents Japanese interests in Taiwan in the absence of bilateral diplomatic ties.

Abe expressed sympathy for the earthquake victims, saying that the Japanese government is willing to provide Taiwan with personnel and equipment, the ministry said.     [FULL  STORY]

7 year old boy rescued because of his cat

Taiwan News
Date: 2016-02-06
By: Jocylin FC, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

In time of despair and devastation, stories of hope and love 6733791can be found everywhere. This is the case for this little boy and his family all because of their family cat, Meowmeow.

A magnitude 6.4 earthquake turned a 16-story residential building in the southern municipality’s Yongkan District, Tainan, into a 4-story-high rubble.

A father named Hu who lived on the 10th floor was rescued first while his two other sons were still trapped in the building. The firemen heard the cat first and found one of Hu’s sons later. Hu said that Meowmeow adores the boys thus he would have stayed with the boys in the rubble.

Hu cried the moment the firemen handed him the cat for he believes his boys will be saved.    [FULL  STORY]

14 killed, 484 injured, 153 unaccounted for after quake

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2016/02/07
By: K.H. You and Bear Lee

Taipei, Feb. 6 (CNA) The 6.4-magnitude earthquake that hit southern Taiwan early Saturday morning has killed 14 people, injured 484 and left 153 unaccounted for as of 9 p.m., according to statistics by Taiwan’s rescue authorities.

The earthquake, centered in Kaohsiung’s Meinong District, struck at 3:57 a.m., toppling nine buildings, all in the neighboring Tainan City.

Rescuers, who rushed to the disaster area from all corners of the country, have rescued 348 people, and search and rescue efforts are still ongoing for the 153, who have remained unaccounted for, according to the Central Emergence Operation Center.     [FULL  STORY]

Donations flood in after Tainan disaster

COMPENSATION:Tainan said it is to provide of NT$2 million to the families of each of the deceased victims, while those seriously injured are to be offered NT$500,000

Taipei Times
Date: Feb 07, 2016
By: Staff Writer, with CNA

Donations to help those in need poured in yesterday, after a

Firefighters help a survivor climb out of the ruins of the Weiguan Jinlong Building in Tainan’s Yongkang District yesterday. Photo: Chang Chung-i, Taipei Times

Firefighters help a survivor climb out of the ruins of the Weiguan Jinlong Building in Tainan’s Yongkang District yesterday. Photo: Chang Chung-i, Taipei Times

magnitude 6.4 earthquake struck southern Taiwan at 3:57am. At least 15 people were killed and more than 400 injured as of press time last night.

Among private donors, the Lin Rung San Foundation of Culture and Social Welfare (財團法人林榮三文化公益基金會) led the way, pledging NT$100 million (US$2.98 million) to the victims of the disaster. Mr Lin Rung San (林榮三) founded the Taipei Times and its sister paper the Liberty Times. He passed away on Nov. 28 last year.

Formosa Plastics Corp (台塑企業) pledged NT$50 million to help with emergency rescue efforts while Yulon Group (裕隆集團) pledged NT$10 million for the same purpose.     [FULL  STORY]

6.4-Magnitude Earthquake Strikes Taiwan

NBC News
Date: FEB 6 2016, 12:23 AM ET
By PHIL HELSEL and REUTERS

A powerful earthquake struck in southern Taiwan Saturday, toppling buildings and leaving at least five people dead and hundreds more injured, officials said.

The 6.4-magnitude earthquake struck about 30 miles east of Tainan, a city of more than 1.8 million, just before 4 a.m. (3 p.m. Friday E.T.), the U.S. Geological Survey said.

At least 378 people were hurt in the quake, which caused nine buildings to topple and five more to tilt, Taiwan’s National Fire Agency said.

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Buildings Collapse, Many Trapped After Earthquake Rocks Taiwan 1:17
The 16-story Wei Guan residential building in Tainan collapsed, setting off a frantic search effort that involved more than 200 firefighters, authorities said. Other buildings were left tilted at alarming angles.

Four people were killed inside the collapsed Wei Guan building and at least 26 residents remain missing, according to the National Fire Agency.

A 10-day-old baby is among the dead, Reuters reported.     [FULL  STORY]

High-speed train affected by earthquake

Taiwan News
Date: 2016-02-06
By: Central News Agency

Rail traffic was affected by a strong earthquake that struck southern Taiwan early Saturday, with Taiwan High Speed Rail canceling part of its service in the morning. Trains operated by the Taiwan Railway Administration (TRA) will continue to run as usual.

Taiwan High Speed Rail urged their customers planning to travel to destinations south of Taichung to delay their journeys.

All high-speed trains scheduled to depart from Zuoying Station, Kaohsiung before 9 a.m. were canceled while tracks were being inspected for safety, the company said. The service between Taipei and Taichung would run as usual with a few exceptions.

The cancellations are expected to cause a major headache for those who had been planning to go home for an extended nine-day Chinese New Year holiday beginning Saturday.

TRA said its trains will run as usual after the speed of its first train after the 3.57 a.m. earthquake was reduced to 30 kilometers per hour to test the condition of the railway tracks.

COA pushes for mandatory pet registration

Taiwan News
Date: 2016-02-05
By: Chia Lee, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

Pet business operators may have to register their pets with the 6733510city council and implement mandatory chipping of the pets they handle, starting as soon as May, said the Council of Agriculture (COA) Thursday.

COA’s Animal Husbandry Department division head Chiang Wen-chuan, invited animal protection groups and pet business owners Thursday to discuss the amendment of related regulations, and if passed, pet business operators in the future would have to register online and have their pets microchipped, the council said.

In addition, the current regulation is to be extended to all cats and dogs, as opposed to dogs only. The move is to prevent illegal breeding and trade, as well as animal cruelty, said Chiang, and violators of the new regulation could be fined up to NT$15,000, or even suspended from practice.     [FULL  STORY]

1st meeting on power transition to be held Feb. 19

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2016/02/05
By: Hsieh Chia-chen and Lilian Wu

Taipei, Feb. 5 (CNA) The first meeting on the power transfer 7513047between the Kuomintang (KMT) and the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) will be held Feb. 19 in Taipei, it was confirmed Friday.

President-elect Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) of the DPP will take over from President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九), assuming office May 20, after winning the Jan. 16 presidential election.

Presidential Office spokeswoman Ma Wei-kuo (馬瑋國) said that Presidential Office Secretary-General Tseng Yung-chuan (曾永權) and DPP Secretary-General Joseph Wu (吳釗燮) agreed to hold the meeting at 10 a.m. that day for formal talks on the power transition.

Details, such as the agenda and the participants involved, will be confirmed in bilateral discussions after the Feb. 6-14 Lunar New Year holiday, the DPP said in a news release.     [FULL  STORY]