TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – Ships are being mobilized to supply Hualien County, with partial railway repairs expected for the next day, Transportation Minister Wang Kwo-tsai (王國材) said Wednesday (April 3).

However, he expressed pessimism about the reopening of roads linking the east coast region to Yilan County and the north, per CNA. As dozens of aftershocks are still occurring after Wednesday morning’s magnitude 7.2 quake, it is too dangerous to send road repair crews into the area, Wang said. An assessment of how long those road repairs would take is difficult to make since no team had reached the locations, he added.

Railway lines to Hualien had also been cut off, with no traffic possible between Jiaoxi in Yilan County and Fenglin in Hualien County. Falling rocks were reported on the tracks at several sites, Wang told lawmakers.

He said rail traffic would receive the priority when restoring connections. By Thursday (April 4) noon, trains would be able to travel on both tracks in each direction, he said.

The Ministry of Transportation and Communications (MOTC) said a ship with supplies had left the port of Su’ao in Yilan County for the port of Hualien. Another ship was on its way from Keelung and would also ply the Su’ao-Hualien route.

Because of increased traffic ahead of the April 4-7 Tomb Sweeping Holiday, a ferry traveling between Taiwan’s main island and the outlying island of Matsu would not be available until Thursday.

Wang said Hualien Airport had not been damaged by the quake, so supplies could also be taken in by air. Passenger flights are fully booked though for the holiday.