TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Rail traffic along the east coast will remain disrupted for more than a month following the series of earthquakes culminating in Sunday’s (Sept. 18) magnitude 6.8 tremor in Taitung County, the Taiwan Railways Administration (TRA) said Tuesday (Sept. 20).
The quake caused rock slides and damaged buildings and infrastructure, mostly in the east coast counties of Hualien and Taitung, while also leaving one person dead and more than 100 injured.
The TRA said the damage to rail tracks and bridges would need at least one month for repairs to be completed, with trains unable to travel between Hualien and Taitung. Inspections needed to be conducted on three bridges before a repair plan could be submitted, CNA reported.
In order to help travelers, the state-run train system launched two bus services, between Hualien and Yuli, and between Yuli and Taitung. The buses operate hourly from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m., with extra services possible in the event of high demand.
Buses between Hualien and Yuli stop in Ji’an, Shoufeng, Fenglin, Guangfu, and Ruisui, while those between Yuli and Taitung stop in Fuli, Chishang, Guanshan, and Luye. TRA said 5,002 passengers traveled on 136 buses operating under the new system on Monday (Sept. 19).
While sparsely populated, the east coast is a major draw for tourists in Taiwan. The earthquakes forced several scenic areas to close their doors in case of more aftershocks, while local hotels and B&Bs saw massive cancelations amid fears that the disaster will affect the Oct. 9-11 Double Ten national holiday.
