President Ma Ying-jeou set off for Tainan Saturday morning to inspect damage caused by a 6.4-magnitude earthquake that struck southern Taiwan overnight. He is presiding over the rescue work at the head of an emergency task force dealing with the quake’s aftermath.
Ma said the government will make an all-out effort to help people followed by setting up shelters for those who have become homeless.
The president flew to Tainan after being briefed at the rescue mission’s central command center. The 3:57 a.m. earthquake was centered in Kaohsiung's Meinong District. It brought down or seriously damaged several buildings in neighboring Tainan City.
According to the president, the armed forces have prepared 1,200 beds in four locations for people who lost their homes in the earthquake.