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4 killed, 145 missing in Taiwan earthquake (Second Lead)
Taipei, Feb 7 (IANS) The death toll in the Taiwan earthquake climbed to four on Wednesday, while 225 people were reported to have been injured in the 6.5-magnitude earthquake that had struck on Tuesday night.
Search operations were ongoing to find 145 people who went missing in the quake mostly from the residential and commercial floors of the Yunmen Cuidi building, according to the Central Emergency Operation Centre.
The 6.5-magnitude quake occurred at 11.50 pm on Tuesday night with its epicentre located at 18.3 kilometres north-northeast of the city of Hualien, Efe news reported.
“Rescue operations have been continuing night and day. We will not rest until all are found,” Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen said on her official Twitter account.
She had also visited the injured in hospitals and praised the first responders “for their tireless efforts”.
The areas worst affected in the quake are located close to the eastern city of Hualien — the Hualien and Yilan districts — although tremors were felt throughout the island and had forced people out of their homes.
Search teams managed to rescue 235 people, trapped under the rubble of collapsed buildings in Hualien, including the worst-hit Yunmen Cuidi building and Hotel Tongshuai, where the lower floors had collapsed completely.
Two hotel employees, buried under the rubble of the hotel, were able to contact rescue teams. Out of the 830 people, who were evacuated, 643 took refuge in temporary shelters.
While the country is slowly returning to normalcy, water and electricity are yet to be fully restored in Hualien, while serious damage to underground gas pipelines have been reported.
Several buildings sustained structural damages, with two hospitals and the Hotel Meilun tilting precariously after suffering damage in the quake.
The quake also reportedly triggered landslides which affected the country’s main Suhua highway and the state highway 11.
–IANS
soni/sac
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Dr. Abhishek Verma Dedicates a Shelter in Memory of His Mother, Veena Verma, at KGMU; Inaugurated by Daughter Nicolle Verma
World-renowned business tycoon Dr. Abhishek Verma has supported Foodman Vishal Singh’s Hunger-Free World mission. In memory of his mother, Late Veena Verma, who was a 3 term Rajya Sabha MP.
Dr. Verma dedicated a state-of-the-art free permanent shelter for the attendants of patients at KGMU Medical University, Lucknow, under the aegis of Vijay Shree Foundation. His daughter, Nicolle Verma, inaugurated the shelter.
During the event, Foodman Vishal Singh honored Nicolle Verma by presenting her with a memento. Mrs. Nidhi Sharma and Avantika Yadav, associated with the organization, welcomed her with garlands. Following this, Nicolle Verma distributed essential items to the attendants and also handed out fruits. She became emotional remembering her grandmother on her birth anniversary.
On this occasion, she also inaugurated the “Veena Verma Sevalaya” in memory of her grandmother, Veena Verma, to serve the attendants. She expressed, “I feel proud that my family is engaged in nation-building as well as social service. Today, in collaboration with Vijay Shree Foundation founder Foodman Vishal Singh Ji, I feel immensely proud to dedicate this shelter for the poor, helpless, and needy attendants of patients battling serious illnesses like cancer. I am honored to be associated with the Hunger-Free World Mission for humanity.”
Inspired by the continuous humanitarian service provided by Vijay Shree Foundation over the past 17 years, Nicolle Verma donated 10 lakh rupees to support the cause. The purpose of this donation is to ensure that services continue for the needy attendants of patients suffering from severe illnesses in hospitals, as facilitated by Foodman Vishal Singh.
It is noteworthy that Dr. Abhishek Verma’s family has a legacy of public and philanthropic service. They are helping millions to carry forward the values and service work of their parents. On the occasion of his mother’s birth anniversary, Dr. Abhishek Verma dedicated this state-of-the-art permanent shelter at Lucknow Medical College to serve the attendants of patients through the Vijay Shree Foundation.
Supporting Foodman Vishal Singh’s Hunger-Free World mission, Dr. Abhishek Verma assured that he would continually support keeping this flame of humanity alive. He also promised to assist in providing medicines to the helpless patients.
Continuing her grandmother’s legacy of service, Nicolle Verma personally served food to the needy patients and attendants. She said, “It is our good fortune to have received the joy of doing this noble work today through Foodman Vishal Singh. I have taken another step forward in carrying my family’s values and cooperation by joining hands with the Vijay Shree Foundation. My father taught me to serve and help the needy, and I feel happy when I bring a smile to someone’s face.”
On the birth anniversary of the late Veena Verma, the event organizer, Vijay Shree Foundation founder Foodman Vishal Singh, said, “We feel proud and happy that Dr. Abhishek Verma, a globally renowned business tycoon, has extended his support to uplift our country from the hunger index. Today, on his mother’s birth anniversary, he inaugurated a state-of-the-art permanent shelter at Lucknow Medical College, which will always be helpful for the needy attendants of patients. It is a pleasure for me and the organization to receive the affection of Mr. Verma.”
The event was attended by General Manager Verma Family Office Hemant Garg, Sonu Rajput, and the organization’s volunteers, including Sandeep Singh, Parmeshwar Ji, Prashant Rao Gautam, Balram Singh, Ramesh Chaudhary, Suman, Jeetu, Anil, Suraj, Vinay, Manish Bhadauria, Manas Mehrotra, Vivek, Apurv, Happy, and others.