SINGAPORE: Almost two weeks after the massive earthquake that struck Taiwan on Apr 3, Singaporeans Sim Hwee Kok and Neo Siew Choo are the only people still unaccounted for, as aftershocks forced search teams to stop work over the weekend.
One more body, that of a male driver, was found on Saturday (Apr 13) along the Shakadang Trail in eastern Hualien county, bringing the death toll from the 7.2-magnitude quake to 17.
It is on this trail that the Singaporean couple are believed to have gone missing, according to Taiwan’s National Fire Agency. They were last seen alighting from a shuttle bus at Shakadang Trail at about 7.20am on Apr 3, about 40 minutes before the quake struck.
In agreement with the couple’s family members – three of them arrived in Taiwan more than a week ago – the search was suspended on Sunday due to the danger of aftershocks, landslides and falling rocks. Hualien, near the quake’s epicentre, has been roiled by more than 800 aftershocks.
Expressing their gratitude to search-and-rescue personnel via the Singapore Trade Office in Taipei, the family members said they hoped search efforts would resume at an appropriate time, while taking safety into account.
“We hope that Hualien can be rebuilt as soon as possible so that more people can experience the beauty of Hualien and feel the warmth of the people in Hualien,” the family members added.
The Hualien Fire County Bureau said search and rescue efforts would restart once the risks have subsided.
Taiwanese media also reported that a monk had led prayers at the entrance of the trail, with the family members in attendance.
Eight other Singaporeans were among 71 foreigners rescued after they were trapped in Hualien. Two Singaporeans suffered light injuries, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) said on Apr 5.
The quake is the most powerful tremor to strike Taiwan since a 7.6-magnitude quake hit the island in 1999. Around 2,400 people died in that quake, making it the deadliest natural disaster in the island’s history.
