The Red Cross Society of China has decided to provide 1 million yuan ($158,270) for rescue operations, saying that it was ready to send rescue teams to Taiwan.

Other mainland authorities such as the Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits, Fujian Province and Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region also said they would each donate 1 million yuan to Hualien.

The Taiwan Democratic Self-Government League, a political party in the mainland, expressed sympathy Thursday to those affected.