Taiwan residents mourn a week after powerful earthquake; President Tsai visits disaster area to comfort victims

HUALIEN, Taiwan – A week after a powerful earthquake struck Taiwan’s eastern coast of Hualien, people are in mourning and many residents are still living in temporary shelters.

The death toll rose to 13, while six people, including two foreigners, remained missing on Wednesday.

Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen will visit the earthquake-hit area for the first time since the disaster on Wednesday afternoon to encourage residents to live as evacuees.

One building in downtown Hualien has had its upper floors demolished, while the first floor has collapsed and leans heavily to one side.

There were 70 apartment complexes and other buildings in Hualien that were declared uninhabitable on Tuesday, affecting about 2,100 households.

“I couldn’t get anything out of my house. I see no future,” said a 47-year-old civil servant who evacuated the area.

Now comes the difficulty of rebuilding the lives of disaster victims. A walk-in desk has been set up at a municipal office, which many people have visited.