More than 650 Hongkongers on group tours in Taiwan have been confirmed safe following a 6.7-magnitude earthquake late Saturday. The quake struck at 11:05 p.m., with its epicenter about 70 km southeast of Taipei at a depth of 60 km. Some shaken travelers recalled buildings swaying from side to side.
The Hong Kong Observatory said the earthquake struck at 11:05 p.m. on Saturday in Taiwan, with the epicenter located about 70 km (43.5 miles) southeast of Taipei and at a focal depth of 60 km. The forecaster also received more than 100 local reports of tremors lasting several seconds on Saturday.
Travel Industry Council executive director Fanny Yeung Shuk-fun said on Sunday: “Based on preliminary information collected, it is estimated that there are around 30 groups, involving more than 650 tourists. All of them are safe, and their itineraries have not been affected.”
“Some groups are returning to Hong Kong [on Sunday] as originally scheduled. Other groups will also be departing as normal over the next one to two days.”
Chan Chi-wah, director of Eat Play Travel, said about 20 travelers on a group tour by his agency were all safe and would return to Hong Kong on Sunday after completing a five-day trip to Taipei and Taichung. Some shaken travelers recalled how buildings swayed “from side to side,” describing the quake as terrifying.
The earthquake did not disrupt the Hongkongers' itineraries, and they are proceeding with their planned returns.
