How You Can Help People in Taiwan After the Massive Earthquake
At least 10 people are dead and hundreds are injured or missing after Taiwan was hit with a massive 7.4-magnitude earthquake on Wednesday morning. The quake struck the east coast of the country just before 8:00 a.m., bringing down buildings, tunnels, and homes, and causing landslides. More than 930 people have been reported injured, according to Taiwan’s National Fire Agency. And Taiwanese officials said Thursday that more than 660 remain trapped under the rubble, as emergency responders work to recover them.
In the five hours after the initial quake, 76 aftershocks were recorded, according to the Central Weather Administration. While Taiwan was the most affected, the quake was also felt in parts of China. The event sparked tsunami warnings across the region and forced evacuations.
Taiwan is especially vulnerable to such natural disasters due to its location in the Pacific Ocean, but the earthquake is the largest to hit the country in 25 years. In 1999, the East Asian country was hit with a 7.7-magnitude quake, in which at least 2,264 people lost their lives, according to CNN.
Taiwan’s International Cooperation and Development Fund is among the organizations providing humanitarian and medical assistance in the aftermath of the quake. Though the ICDF does not take donations, below is a list of organizations providing aid in the country—consider supporting the cause.
Buddhist Tzu Chi, the largest Taiwan-based disaster relief organization, with offices in 47 countries, provides aid to populations in need following natural disasters, both locally and around the world.
Taiwan Red Cross provides disaster relief across Asian countries, including medical aid, clothing, food, and other supplies.
Taiwan Root Medical Peace Corps is a nonprofit organization “dedicated to improving the quality of life through medical services and health education.” Among other things, it provides medical relief following disasters. “TRMPC believes that medical service should transcend national borders and exceed the limitations of politics, race, and religion. It holds as its end goal a united international community working in cooperation to bring about equitable access of healthcare to all populations,” the group’s website says.
Peace Winds America is continuing its mission to strengthen Taiwan’s domestic disaster preparedness and response. The organization provides humanitarian assistance and disaster response, and helps “Taiwan stakeholders build sustainable relationships with counterparts from the international community and others, such as the U.S., Japan, and the Philippines” to reduce suffering caused by natural disasters in the area.
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