Pope Francis has reached out with messages of condolence and solidarity to those affected by the recent earthquake in Taiwan.

Via telegram, the Pope assured those impacted by the tragedy of his prayers for the deceased, the injured, those displaced by the disaster, and the emergency responders working tirelessly on recovery efforts.

Thursday’s telegram on behalf of the pope was sent to Bishop John Baptist Lee Keh-mien of Hsinchu, president of the Chinese Regional Bishops’ Conference of Taiwan.

It read: “Pope Francis was deeply saddened to learn of the loss of life and damage caused by the earthquake and he assures everyone affected by this disaster of his heartfelt solidarity and spiritual closeness.”

The earthquake struck Taiwan on 3rd April with a magnitude of 7.4, claiming ten lives and injuring over 1,067 individuals. It caused extensive damage across the island nation, trapping about 200 people in road tunnels and mines, and leaving thousands without access to water due to infrastructure collapse.

Speaking to AsiaNews, Bishop Philip Huang Chao-ming of Hualien described the extent of the destruction, noting that "violent tremors caused disasters in several counties and cities, particularly in Hualien, which suffered the most damage."

He called for continued vigilance in response to ongoing aftershocks and urged community members to prioritise safety.

The Bishop's encouragement for community support was echoed in a message on the diocese's website: "As the aftershocks continue...we remain here to pay attention to the needs and assist in organisational work in a timely manner."