Reconstruction efforts advance swiftly in aftermath of Hualien earthquake

At the Cabinet's weekly meeting Thursday, Premier Chen Chien-jen received briefings from the Ministry of the Interior, Ministry of Transportation and Communications, Ministry of Education and the Executive Yuan's Public Construction Commission (PCC) regarding disaster recovery and reconstruction efforts following the earthquake that struck Hualien County on April 3. The premier said that government relief efforts have entered the post-disaster recovery phase. He directed the PCC to expedite reviews of infrastructure repair projects and related planning, and he called on relevant government bodies to provide full assistance with funding.

Premier Chen also instructed the central government's dedicated earthquake task force to communicate closely with local governments to understand the needs of each affected county and city, and to supplement any capability gaps within local governments. The premier reminded all those involved in the recovery and reconstruction work to maintain a proactive attitude and a humane and caring perspective to provide comprehensive, timely and convenient assistance to victims of the earthquake, so that they can rebuild their homes as soon as possible.