TAIPEI: Donations exceeding NT$30 million (US$934,848) have poured into local accounts to bolster relief efforts after the strongest earthquake in 25 years struck Taiwan on Wednesday, said the Health and Welfare Ministry.
The one-month donation campaign kicked off on Thursday and saw NT$32,928,348 pour into the designated accounts set up by the ministry as of 11.59pm Thursday night after the magnitude 7.2 earthquake rocked the island Wednesday morning.
More than NT$21 million in donations had been made through Line Pay and NT$4.89 million through online fundraising platform WaBay, while NT$6.45 million had been transferred to a Land Bank of Taiwan account, the Taiwan Foundation for Disaster Relief said in a statement as reported by Central News Agency (CNA) Friday.
The Line Pay and WaBay donation platforms were open starting at 7pm Thursday.
In the same statement, the foundation thanked the Finance Ministry and Financial Information Service Co for waiving interbank transaction fees for donation transfers, ensuring all money donated will go towards relief efforts.
The CTBC Bank, Union Bank of Taiwan, Taipei Fubon Bank and Taishin Bank have also agreed not to charge transaction fees for donations made through Line Pay, the foundation said.
The Land Bank of Taiwan’s account will be closed on May 3, while Line Pay and WaBay will close their donation platforms on May 2 and April 30, respectively, the foundation added. - CNA
