More than 650 Hongkongers on group tours to Taiwan have been confirmed safe following a 6.7-magnitude earthquake late on Saturday, while other travellers from the city have recalled feeling frightened as buildings swayed “from side to side”.
The Hong Kong Observatory said the earthquake occurred at 11.05pm in Taiwan, with the epicentre located about 70km (43.5 miles) southeast of Taipei and at a focal depth of 60km.
The forecaster also received more than 100 local reports of tremors lasting several seconds on Saturday.
Advertisement
“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,” Travel Industry Council executive director Fanny Yeung Shuk-fun said on Sunday.
“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 travellers 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.
Advertisement