TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taiwan’s central government has allocated NT$300 million (US$9.37 million) to recovery efforts following Wednesday’s (April 3) earthquake.

On Thursday (April 4), Premier Chen Chien-jen (陳建仁) visited a disaster response center in Hualien County, close to the epicenter of the magnitude 7.2 earthquake that struck just before 8 a.m. on Wednesday. Chen said the NT$300 million will be used to provide Hualien residents with relief payments, temporary subsidies for those out of work, and other earthquake-related expenses, per CNA

Chen said he is hopeful the water supply in Hualien will be restored by Friday and did not give a timeframe for restoring the power supply. He said the Taiwan Railways Administration has added replacement bus services and extra train services in the affected areas, and ships have been arranged to transport vehicles through unpassable sections of the Su’ao Highway.

Chen said landslides that occurred throughout the Chongde section of the Su’ao Highway will take time to repair, and repairs that allow small vehicles to pass through will be carried out first. He said crews are working to secure roads ahead of bad weather expected this weekend.