Taiwan's agriculture losses from quake top NT$76 million, all in Hualien

Taipei, April 7 (CNA) The Ministry of Agriculture (MOA) on Sunday updated its assessment of the agricultural losses sustained in Taiwan as a result of a devastating earthquake last week, estimating the figure at NT$76.04 million (US$2.37 million), all confined to the eastern county of Hualien near the quake's epicenter.

As of 11 a.m. Sunday, the damage to crops, and agricultural products and private facilities in Hualien stood at some NT$42.06 million, following the magnitude 7.2 quake that struck last Wednesday, the ministry said.

An estimated NT$10,000 of that amount was attributed to the destruction of crops such as the edible fungi known colloquially as wood ear mushrooms, the MOA said.

The agricultural damage in the eastern county was spread over 0.3 hectares, the ministry said, adding that 30 percent of the crops, which covered 0.09 hectares, was totally destroyed.

Hualien, close to the epicenter of the quake and the hardest hit area, also suffered NT$50,000 in livestock losses, mainly pigs, according to the MOA.

In addition, the temblor destroyed private agricultural facilities in Hualien, with the damage estimated at NT$42 million, including NT$40.95 million due to broken fishing nets and other fishery equipment, the ministry said.

The damage to livestock facilities and loss of animal feed in the county amounted to NT$1.05 million, the MOA said.

The county also sustained damage to its public agricultural infrastructure, estimated at NT$33.98 million, NT$20 million of which was in the area of soil and water conservation infrastructure, according to the ministry.

The agricultural losses in Taiwan due to the quake were confined to Hualien, with NT$13.98 million related to damaged roads and gazebos at fishing ports in the county, the ministry said.

The total figure of NT$76.04 million figure was updated Sunday from the NT$68.78 million estimated by the MOA the previous day.

The epicenter of the magnitude 7.2 earthquake, which struck at 7:58 a.m. on April 3, was off the coast of Hualien, 25.0 kilometers south-southeast of County Hall, at a depth of 15.5 km, and it was followed by several heavy aftershocks, according to the Central Weather Administration.

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