Some 246 people are confirmed dead and more than 2,500 (2,527) injured following a powerful earthquake which struck Ecuador on Saturday. The quake, measuring a 7.8 on the Richter scale, toppled buildings leaving thousands homeless.
The foreign ministry in Taipei announced Monday that it was donating US$100,000 in post-quake relief to the South American country.
The foreign ministry said that when it comes to providing disaster relief, foreign aid knows no boundaries. The ministry said that Taiwan is also located in a region prone to earthquakes, so it’s easy for people here to empathize with the people of Ecuador. The ministry said it hoped that reconstruction efforts can progress smoothly so that the victims can return to their homes as soon as possible.
Meanwhile, the foreign ministry says that following the quake, Taiwan’s representative office in Ecuador contacted Taiwanese nationals in that country, and that so far there have been no reports of casualties. The ministry says that personnel in Ecuador will continue to monitor the situation.