One Taiwan tourist dead, three injured in Thai tsunami

At least one Taiwan tourist was killed and three others injured at the Thai resort of Phuket when tsunamis caused by a powerful earthquake off Indonesia struck, a report said — but Taiwan was largely unaffected by the disaster.

“The victim died after water smashed into the hotel he was staying at” on Phuket island, an official with the Taipei Association of Travel Agents told TVBS cable news network. The victim was identified as 24-year-old man Liao Feng-shun, it said.

The official said he feared more victims from the estimated 800 Taiwan tourists who were staying at the popular resort.

Officials from the Central Weather Bureau’s earthquake detection center said Taiwan was unlikely to be affected by Asia’s most powerful earthquake in 40 years, saying the island was too far away. Separately, information provided by the Pacific Ocean Tsunmai Center said tidal waves triggered by the earthquake were of no threat to Taiwan.

Taiwan’s foreign ministry spokesman Michel Lu said he did not know if any Taiwanese residing or travelling abroad were affected by the disaster. He said his ministry ordered all its representative offices in countries affected by the quake to find out if any Taiwanese were injured or killed.

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Taiwan also commiserated with its Asian neighbors struck by the quake.

“We send our sincere condolences to all countries affected by the surprise attack of the earthquake and tsuanamis,” Lu said.

“The foreign ministry will lend these countries all necessary assistance on humanitarian grounds.”

Officials from Taipei county’s Fire Prevention Bureau said a 43-member search and rescue team was formed at around 6pm last night to help tsunami survivors in South East Asia.

The team, armed with life detectors, sensitive underground camera equipment and destruction equipment for clearing blocked rubble is on standby, awaiting further orders from the Central Government’s National Fire Administration, before it heads overseas.

Back in the disaster-stricken holiday resort of Phuket, the numbers of Taiwanese killed and extent of damage to Taiwanese interests were still unclear.

The head of the Phuket Taiwan business executives friendship association Wei Chung-ji said nearby hospitals were overflowing with tidal wave casualties but so far he had not found any Taiwanese victims. He said communications with other people in the region were difficult, with mobile phones only accepting incoming calls and not able to call outwards.

Wei added fish farms run by Taiwanese businesses in Phuket had suffered extensive damages.

Taiwan’s China Airlines told the Agence France Presse it had canceled two flights to and from Phuket as the airport there was shut down after the quake.

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