Taiwan’s Cabinet is set to decide on whether special legislation is needed to help fund post-quake relief. That was the word on Sunday after Premier Chang San-cheng held a meeting at the Central Emergency Operation Center to discuss reconstruction priorities.
It’s been more than a week since a powerful earthquake, measuring 6.4 on the Richter scale, hit southern Taiwan in the early hours of February 6. Rescue operations have drawn to a close with the discovery of one final body on Saturday afternoon, bringing the death toll to 116. Of those, 114 were in the Weiguan Jinlong complex in Tainan. A total of 551 people were injured in the quake, with more than 50 still in hospital.
Cabinet spokesman Sun Lih-chyun spoke about Sunday’s meeting at a press conference later in the day. He said the Cabinet would decide by Feb. 18 whether it was necessary to create special legislation similar to the legislation passed following a massive earthquake back in 1999.
The government is set to prioritize compensation and housing loans for victims of the Feb. 6 earthquake. Participants at Sunday's meeting also discussed plans for demolishing, reinforcing, or rebuilding dangerous structures. The Cabinet will look into whether building regulations should be revised.
It was further decided during Sunday’s meeting that Vice Premier Woody Duh will head a special committee that can work together with local governments on post-quake relief and reconstruction.