Taipei: Donations raised through a dedicated bank account set up by Taiwan's government to help people affected by a magnitude 7.1 earthquake that struck Japan's Kumamoto Prefecture late last month had surpassed NT$300 million (US$9.42 million) as of Monday.
According to Focus Taiwan, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) said in a press release that the designated Mega International Commercial Bank account (021-09-01-7741), which was set up on Aug. 1, will continue to accept public donations until Aug. 31.
Meanwhile, Taiwan's government and its Japanese counterparts are still discussing how the funds will be used to assist post-disaster relief efforts in Kumamoto after the one-month donation period ends, MOFA said, adding that more details will be announced later.
In addition to the fundraising campaign, Taiwan's government has already donated NT$5 million to support Japan's reconstruction efforts following the earthquake in Kumamoto Prefecture, according to MOFA.
The temblor struck Kumamoto Prefecture on Japan's Kyushu Island at 4:27 p.m. on July 28, causing widespread infrastructure damage and transportation disruptions, as well as power outages affecting tens of thousands of households. At least 38 people were killed.